A/N: Oneshots! \(^O^)/ those are fun right! right!? it's been awhile since i wrote Vesperia material but it still feels easier than writing KH stuff, now Judith is 19 according to RM3's website and Duke I'm guessing is in his late twenty's or early thirty's for now I'm gonna just guess he's 29 The Image i think i got that from Tales series forum awhile back
Disclaimer: I Do not own Tales of Vesperia Kingdom Hearts or any of their characters they all belong to their rightful owners Bandai Namco and Squere Enix.
Despite all the times she had traveled all over Terca-Lumireis she was lost.
Keiv-Moc definitely had one of the more 'Confusing' terrains in comparison to most of the areas in Terca-Lumireis.
Perhaps she should have listened to Estelle when she told her to take a map with her. "Ha..." Judith sighed it had been at least four hours and she still couldn't find the supposed rampant Giganto.
Just when she was about to give up hope she saw it.
The Giganto set there in-front of the aer-krene, Judith ducked behind the tree she was standing beside And pulled out her Brionac, she peaked out at it examining the shape and size.
There was nothing special about its appearance it simply looked like a giant turtle, a humongous shell, head and tail sticking out, it was just a 'little' bigger than the usual tortoise they fought.
Judith dashed out and slashed the tail while its back was still turned causing the monster to let out a loud cry, the monster spent around and she jumped back just in time to dodge being hit by the tail.
"Its big but fast." Judith said after landing.
The monster glared at her and growled then charged at her, Judith leaped into the air jumping over the Giganto. "Moon-beam!"
Immediately after landing she slashed down at the tail then again horizontally. She back stepped away from the monster again. "If I could flip it over.." Judith didn't have much time to think of a solution before the monster charged at her again.
She jumped over it using Moon-Beam again landing on the monsters back this time, she took that as her chance and stabbed her spear into its head, but before she could pull her spear out of its head the monster knocked her off.
"Ow!" she landed on her butt behind the monster, the giganto shook its head roughly her Brionac flying under a far off tree branch. The Giganto slowly turned around to face Judith its movements sluggish from being stabbed in the head,
Judith could have sworn it was grinning at her. "Uh-oh." she slowly stepped backwards until her back hit a tree.
Just when the giganto was about to charge at her a large sword came down and pierced through the shell then exploded knocking the giganto over on its back.
"Huh?" A head of white hair suddenly appeared in-front of her holding a glowing red sword in one hand and her Brionac in another. "Duke!?"
He handed her the Spear then Ignored her and proceeded to finish of the monster.
He teleported above the monster and used a move similar to Judith's Moon-Beam and the monster died and dispersed into nothing leaving only its tail.
Duke picked up the tail and dragged it over to Judith and held the tail out towards her. "Is this what you wanted."
Judith blinked slightly confused on what just happened. "...Thank you." She answered then a bright light appeared under Duke and a light flushed into Judith.
it was a first aid, Duke turned around and started to walk away he stopped then spoke up. "Are you coming?"
Judith blinked pondering whether or not to follow the white-haired man the last time they saw each other was in a heated battle to save the world and he wasn't exactly on the same side as she was, but nonetheless he did come around in the end, not to mention she herself didn't know where the exit was.
"Mmm." She nodded and started to follow Duke through the forest. "Why did you help me?" Judith was curious he hadn't had any reason to help her so why.
Duke looked at her his expression un-readable. "I was in the area."
Judith smiled teasingly and Duke looked away. "Is that so..." nothing was said after that and they silently continued walking through the forest.
Duke stepped off one of the many oversized tree branches Judith proceeded to do the same but lost her footing. "Wah!" as she was about to fall Duke reached out his arm and caught her.
"Be careful." Duke helped her down and regain her footing.
Judith looked away pouting a slight tent a red appearing on her face. "I'm not usually so clumsy sorry for troubling you."
Duke stared at her he had never seen the Krytian woman act in such a way. "It was no trouble." Duke turned his back to Judith and continued walking through the forest path.
they neared the exit and Duke spoke up again. "Were you hunting that creature." He asked catching Judith off guard.
"Yes I was..." She looked up at a branch above their heads they had walked on it earlier.
He continued. "For money?"
"You want some of the reward?" Judith smirked at Duke and he ignored her again.
"..." he looked at her staring into her eyes as if he was seriously pondering on whether to say yes or no. "...No."
Judith giggled and Duke looked away with an annoyed expression on his face, with a sense of victory she smiled to herself.
"We're here." He announced as they came to the entrance of the forest.
Judith walked in-front of Duke and smiled at him. "Thank you, it would have taken me forever to make it this far on my own."
Duke looked away, Judith noticed he seemed to be avoiding eye contact with her. "...Where are you heading now?" He Asked.
"Dahngrest." She raised an eyebrow at the question she didn't take him as the curious type.
"I'll accompany you there then." Duke started walking ahead of Judith but stopped when she grabbed his arm, he turned his head and looked at her.
"That's not necessary I can make it there perfectly fine on my own."
Duke grabbed her hand and gently removed it from his arm. "I have business in Dahngrest so its convenient."
"Business?" Judith questioned. "Now that you mention it you never did tell me why you were here." she noted putting a hand on her hip.
"You never asked." He replied and proceeded to exit Keiv-Moc.
Judith pouted then started to follow him out. "Well I'm asking now ...so why?"
Duke lifted up the tail of the giganto they fought earlier. "This."
Judith stared at it a finger to her lip. "The giganto tail?" Duke only nodded his head in response, Judith started pouting again. "But weren't you going to give it to me?"
"You never answered so I decided to keep it." Judith's pout stayed the rest of the walk to Dahngrest halfway there she started mumbling things Duke decided would be best to ignore.
By the time they made it to Dahngrest it was nighttime.
Judith stretched and yawned once they got inside of Dahngrest, Duke stared at her all the while.
A growling noise came from Judith's stomach and Duke raised an eyebrow. "Have you not eaten today?"
Judith shook her head no. "Not a thing." Judith answered.
Duke smiled gently at Judith. "Lets get something to eat then." He offered catching her off guard.
Judith covered her mouth with her right hand and blinked, did Duke just offer her to dinner. "Are you asking me on a date?"
Duke looked at her. "Yes I am." Judith laughed.
"You don't beat around the bush do you?" Judith said giggling at Duke's bluntness.
Duke looked away staring off at something. "It would be a waste of time." He answered.
Judith walked ahead of Duke then turned around to look at him.
"Okay so see you in... half an hour!" With that Judith turned around and walked away without giving Duke a chance to say anything.
He sighed then proceeded to finish his own business.
While discussing with her client Judith wondered if maybe she should have agreed on a meeting spot with Duke.
The women Judith was talking to waved her hand in Judith's face trying to catch her attention. "Hey! are you listening!?" Judith folded her arms still deep in thought not paying the women any attention.
Maybe she should change clothing, she did bring a spare change of clothes just in-case anything happened...
The women frowned and put a hand on her hip. "Hey!" she shouted this time and snapped Judith out of her little daze.
Judith blinked at the women unsure of why she had just shouted at her. "Hm? whats wrong." Judith answered pointing out that she clearly wasn't paying attention.
The Lady sighed and put on a faint smile. "You're really out of it today huh?" the lady said. "How about you go and rest and we finish this talk tomorrow."
"Oh okay..." Judith started to walk away but stopped and sighed. "Skipping meals is bad for my sanity." Judith said then proceeded to go change clothes.
Half hour later Duke leaned against the door to the Inn waiting for his 'date' to return he closed his eyes for a brief three minutes, he
re-opened them when he felt something... someone poking him in the face.
Judith stood in-front of him poking him in the face with a curious look on her face. "I thought you were sleep." Judith said still poking him.
Duke grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips he kissed it making Judith freeze momentarily. "Shall we go."
Judith broke out of her moment of shook from Duke's display of affection something she didn't think he was capable of and smiled. "Quite the gentleman aren't you?"
Duke lowered her hand but still held it in his own. "No not necessarily." Judith raised an eyebrow but Duke said no more on the subject.
"Shall we go?" he repeated and she nodded her head.
they went to the bar like restaurant place in Dahngrest and Duke paid.
Judith made a wry smile at the gesture. "You didn't have to pay." Judith noted.
"I wanted to." Duke answered pulling out a chair for Judith to sit in, causing her eye to twitch.
"Is there an ulterior-motive to all this unnecessary kind behavior of yours, it's quite out of character for you." Judith Asked sitting in the chair.
Duke averted his eyes away from Judith. "Seeing you in red gave me the sudden urge to act exceptionally kind to you." Duke said gesturing at her outfit.
Judith blinked was Duke using sarcasm. "Well thank you nonetheless." Duke sat down and they started eating their food.
Judith was eating very 'vigorously' that was for certain. "You should have eaten before you went to fight that monster, you wouldn't have had as much trouble as you- did."
"I didn't think it would take so long..." Judith answered trying to defend herself.
Duke sighed. "Well it did and you got lost."
He was scolding her. "Are you scolding me for not eating." Judith pointed out then drank some of her drink.
"Yes." Duke smiled tilting his head to the side slightly.
It was strange she didn't understand why Duke showed her this side of himself such care and gentleness.
Judith smiled mischievously. "Well then since you insist on paying how about some expensive wine?" Judith offered.
"No thank you..." Duke replied and Judith chuckled causing him to sigh he definitely wasn't about to take care of a drunk krytian.
they finished eating and left the restaurant they stopped in-front of the Inn.
"That was fun." Judith said.
"Mm." Duke made a sound in agreement they stared at each other for a while not saying anything before Judith spoke up.
"Tell me why..." She paused pondering on whether or not she really wanted to know the answer to her question. "Why have you been so kind to me."
For once Duke maintained eye contact with her and confessed. "Because I like you Krytian."
Judith turned to the side and put her hand on her chin. "Because I'm a Krytian?" Judith asked her tone serious.
Duke slipped his hand under her antenna and brought it close to his face. "It would be a lie if I said that wasn't part of the reason."
Judith turned back to face Duke her antenna still in his hand. "Do you have some sort of antenna fetish."
Duke smiled and kissed her antenna then let it fall out of his hand. "Maybe..."
Judith blushed from the feel of her antennas being touched by another person other than herself. "Their sensitive you know." Judith noted.
Duke stepped closer and cupped her face in his hand. "Mm?" He made a curious sound about Judith's antennas then leaned in closer and pressed his lips against hers.
Judith's eyes grew wide, the kiss itself wasn't what surprised her it was only a simple kiss, it was the one who initiated it that surprised her. "Mn!"
Duke pulled away and Judith could have sworn Duke's usual sweet smile looked almost mischievous. "How long will you be in Dahngrest." Duke asked breaking the tension he had just created.
Still railing in the thought that Duke just kissed her Judith swallowed. "For another week at least." She answered.
"Then this will be goodbye for a while." Duke backed up and turned to leave.
"Where are you going now?" Judith asked after recollecting her cool. "It's not very nice to take a lady on a date kiss her and leave like that."
Duke looked at her with a smile that said 'Its a secret' he looked away and began to leave but paused. "See you around Judith." and with that he left.
"I guess hunting that monster down for free was worth it." Judith smiled and touched her lips then went Inside.
-END-