Human Ch. 12
Pikachu bolted ahead along the forest path, leaving his two companions behind. He stood on his haunches and looked back. With all this woodland splendor before the three, he couldn't understand how those two could be satisfied with their leisurely pace.
"Piikaaaa!" He called out, earning a wave from his companions before he decided to take to the forest.
"Is he going to be alright by himself out there?" Pit wondered aloud.
"Who, Pikachu? The little guy who can generate enough volts to give my gunship a jump? No we better go find him." Samus answered sarcastically.
Pit didn't respond to the playful remark. His mind frantically went over her comment again and again as he tried to decipher her mood from it. He wasn't sure how she felt about taking a walk in the forest but he wasn't prepared for her to come back so soon. Without time to plan anything better he suggested the first thing to come to mind. He had been mentally kicking himself for a majority of their walk.
The gentle sounds of trees in the wind filled the silence between the two as Pit silently hoped he wasn't wasting Samus' time.
Samus honestly didn't mind his suggestion. After her last mission it was nice to relax somewhere without worrying about fighting off hostile animals or avoiding some other environmental hazard. She took a deep, calm breath as she watched the sights around her. The tall, emerald crowned trees with the cool, blue sky peeking from behind the canopies. A soft smile crossed her face as she allowed herself to unwind.
She was a bit surprised she could relax like this. She assumed that the couple's little outing today would be nothing but awkward now that she knew of Pit's real feelings for her. Quietly, she reflected on how much their relationship had changed. He wasn't just another fighter or hero that she would casually greet like a coworker. He was willing to put his trust into her from the very start and was more than happy to let her explore and learn about his world.
Just like how the Chozo put so much trust and faith in her when she was brought into their world.
Eventually she found herself watching Pit's eyes with a secretive, sideways glance. They were the same deep blue they were when she first met him. Whenever they passed under the shade of the foliage she could make out the mystical glow they gave off.
Even if everything between the two was changing, there were plenty of things she could still count on to be there.
Pit turned his head to look to Samus, catching her red handed in midst of her stare.
"I'm sorry I couldn't think of anything better for us to do. Just walking around the forest is kind of lame isn't it?" Pit asked.
"It's alright, I could use a day or two to just unwind you know."
"Well next time we can do something more fun." Pit promised.
Samus smiled and nodded before something peculiar caught her eye.
"Hey stand still for a second!"
"Why, whats wrong?" Pit did as commanded.
"I'm going to touch your wing, alright?" Samus cautiously approached the feathered appendage.
Pit swallowed hard. "Alright, but be gentle." He warned.
A chill ran up his spine as she gently probed one of his wings.
"What's going on back there?" Pit asked after a moment had passed as he struggled not to shiver.
"Some of your feathers are turning black back here." Samus continued to study the darkened plumes.
Pit's breath became caught in his throat when she spoke her observation. Black feathers meant he was becoming tainted by black magic. Ganon's magic was much more powerful than he originally thought. Beads of sweat formed on the angel's forehead when he thought about the consequences of taking on too much dark power.
"I know you said your wings are vital to your health, is everything alright? Are you feeling okay?" Samus asked, deeply concerned as Pit turned to face her.
He drew a deep, slow breath. He really didn't want to lie to her but what was he going to do otherwise? Tell her he wasn't as strong as she thought he was? Tell her he couldn't handle fighting for fun and protecting Angel Land?
No, she finally saw him as the hero and, more importantly, the man he had worked so hard to become. He wasn't going to give that up for anything.
"It's nothing. I've just been spending way too much time away from home I guess. The next time we go out you'll have to come to Angel Land." Pit offered the most sincere smile he could as his chest tightened with guilt.
"That would be great but are you sure there's nothing I can do for you?" Samus tried to close the distance between them, only to watch her companion flutter to a near by tree branch.
"Am I going to have to stay up here to get you to quit worrying?" Pit threatened from his perch.
"Pit come down! I was only trying to help!"
"And what if I don't?"
With a small running start, Samus easily jumped to a higher, nearby branch and cast a serious look down at her new prey.
Pit took to the air again once he remembered how swift and agile Samus was, even without the aid of her suit. He shielded himself with his forearms as he flew higher into the forest's canopy.
After he was convinced he had gained significant ground in front of her he perched to catch his breath.
"You better not stop now!" Samus warned, the closeness of her voice causing Pit to turn around in disbelief.
She wasn't far off at all, and her speed rendered the angel speechless for a moment. She barely took the time to catch her footing on one branch before jumping to the next. And to top it off she was smiling! She was really enjoying this game of cat and mouse.
Pit leapt from his tree branch in a panic, only getting in a few strong wing beats before flying head first into a rather thick branch.
The chase ended with Pit falling to the forest floor with a dull thud. He rolled onto his back and rubbed his head just as Samus descended from the trees.
"Even if you were fine before you're not now." Samus commented with a smug yet happy smile on her face.
"Yeah , I know. I should make it a point never to run from a famous bounty hunter." Pit rubbed his reddening forehead. "What are you so happy about anyways?"
"That brought back a lot of memories, that's all." Samus sat on her knees.
"You've hunted angels in the past? Oh god, there's a bounty on me and you just agreed to come out today to take me out. Didn't you?." Pit joked, sitting up. With one swift motion Samus was behind him.
"You're exactly right, and since I have no gun with me it looks like I'll have to do this by hand." Samus played along, snaking her arms around around his neck. "Any last requests?" she quipped, Pit firmly in a potential choke hold.
"What memory really made you so happy today?"
"When I lived on Zebes with the Chozo, I always used to run through the wilderness. It's one of the only things I really enjoyed about my training." Samus hold had softened, becoming a gentle embrace.
Pit leaned back and the sounds of nature filled the silence. Neither one spoke or dared to move. For both of them moments of peace and contentment like this were few and far between.
A/N: My deepest apologies for the long wait. This and the next 2 will be short and fluffy so I hope they won't take too long to write. Thanks for the reviews and I hope you enjoy these little breaks from the main story!