Disclaimer:
I own nothing except Nico.
Ch.3: Off to Edge
--Nico's POV--
Still cringing from Paine yelling at me, I slowly looked up to her as she spoke.
"Are we gonna sit here all day or are you gonna take me to this ranch?"
I only nodded at her as I got up and brushed myself off and led her out farther from the city, No words were exchanged between us during our walk, mainly because I thought if I said something to her, she'd yell again and because she still had her arms crossed which meant she was ticked.
It's not that I was afraid of Paine; it was that I was absolutely terrified of her! Her appearance didn't bother me, I think the way she dresses is awesome and her attitude towards most people was enigmatic and sarcastic, but funny.
It was just her temper and how fast she gets mad that put fear in me…especially with those eyes of hers…looking right into them was so bone-chilling that it made the hair on my neck and tail stand on end.
After about ten or fifteen minutes we reached the Chocobo ranch. I gave a sigh of relief seeing that none of the Chocobos had been taken while I was away and that my boss was nowhere to be seen, otherwise I would've gotten another boring lecture about responsibility and probably cleaning duty...gross on soo many levels.
"Rana fa yna! Lucsu Lahouh'c pacd Lrulupu Nyhlr eh dra ledo!"
"Here we are! Cosmo Canyon's best Chocobo Ranch in the city!" I said with my usual grin and arms wide open.
"Not too shabby, but it looks like it could use some work though."
I lowered my ears at Paine's remark on how poor the place looked, but I couldn't really blame her all that much. The place was clean, but not wonderful as I had made it seem. I shook it off and gave her a confident look.
"Famm, ed'c so zup yht E mega ed, cu drana."
"Well, it's my job and I like it, so there." I said sticking my tongue out at her.
--Paine's POV--
I smirked as Nico pepped up and made her childish act towards me. Even though she was practically retarded in more ways than one, she had spunk. I shook my head at her and relaxed some letting my arms go back to my sides.
"Well, now that I'm here I'm gonna need a place to stay and all that. You got a place around here?"
Her ears twitched as she let the question sink in. She nodded again and began to lead me away from the ranch. Not long after leaving the ranch we ended back in the city and in a not too bad looking area.
The house we stopped at wasn't really big, but it had a yard big enough for myself to do some training every now and then and let Flurry fly around a bit. Inside, there was the living room with a couch, small coffee table, a dining table not far away in front of the kitchen, a medium-sized TV on the wall in front of the couch.
I looked around a bit to soak in my surroundings and put my bag down.
"Nice place you have here seems that ranch pays you pretty well."
"Oay ed'c ymnekrd E kiacc, ed'c ramm kaddehk du fung cehla ed'c cu vyn ehdu dra ledo yht dra nyhlr ec fyo uidceta, pid E fuh'd pa rana vun muhk druikr."
"Yea it's alright I guess, its hell getting to work since it's so far into the city and the ranch is way outside, but I won't be here for long though."
She flopped onto the couch with a sigh and stretched. I raised an eyebrow at her confused by her again.
"What do you mean you won't be here there for long?"
I narrowed my eyes at her, my temper rising, thinking that she asked me here and now I have to leave.
"Drec bmyla ec nahdat sa yht dra kio dryd ufhat ed mucd dra bnubando. Ymm E naymmo ryja du suja ec so lmudrac yht cdivv, ymm dra vinhedina lysa fedr dra ruica."
"This place is rented to me and the guy that owned it lost the property. All I really have to move with me is my clothes and stuff, all the furniture came with the house."
"So you called me all the way out here when you knew you were losing this place? I could've just stayed back in Spira for all this crap!"
--Nico's POV--
My ears snapped onto my head hearing Paine's voice raise at me in anger. My body shrunk and slid into the couch as I tried to find some hiding place away from her wrath, but I had to explain myself from another of her explosions. I decided to try and tell her in English, so that it wouldn't be too bad.
"I—did n-not find…o-o-out u-until t-today."
With Al Bhed being my native language, it was hard for me to say, aside from me being scared. I understood English fine, but trying to speak it was hard since there were so many different ways for English to sound.
I looked over at her slowly hoping that she had calmed me down at least a little.
--Paine's POV--
I felt a pang of guilt after hearing her response and in English too. I sighed and dropped my head shaking it. Thinking all of this through before looking back at her.
"So what are you going to do now?"
" E vuiht yhudran zup, pid ed'c eh Atja yht E fyhd du kad drana YCYB."
"I found another job, but it's in Edge and I want to get there ASAP."
I nodded at her and picked up my bag, slinging it onto my shoulder.
"Well, if you want to get there ASAP, then better hurry and get your stuff cause the last airship will be leavin' soon."
She perked up and jumped over the couch, rushing into her room. Within two minutes, she was in front of me huffing and smiling as usual.
I rolled my eyes at her and went outside with her right behind.
We had to rush to catch the airship and got there right before they were closing it up for take off. I stayed in my spot to catch my breath and saw Nico lying sprawled out in the floor, panting like a dog for air.
She had on her hood and had her tail tucked in; I looked at her with a quizzical look then poked her in the side with the tip of my boot. She opened her eyes and looked up at me still panting.
"Breath through your nose, you'll stay out of breath if you keep breathin like that." I eyed a not too crowded spot of the ship and took a seat to rest, falling asleep soon after.
--Nico's POV--
Once we got on the airship, I fell on the floor from all the running and from multitasking to hide my tail and ears. The falling in the floor and panting was exaggerated some, but I was tired!
The ceiling started to spin so I closed my eyes hoping that it'd stop soon when felt something poke my side. I looked up at her as she spoke, not even bothering to listen and closed my eyes back. I heard the click of her heels as she left my side and went somewhere not far from me.
I opened my eyes again and crawled next to the door, letting my head hang. I looked up briefly to find that Paine was just on the other side of the area and probably sleep considering her pose. I decided that was a good idea and hung my head again, going out cold.
Whew! They made it...whats next?
