Nothing important for me to say. So just enjoy this chapter!

EDIT: June 18, 2013-Thanks to HacamaSkyWalker for pointing out an error in this chapter. It's much appreciated! If you see any errors, please tell me! I don't care how old the story is; I just want it to be perfection! (In the grammatical sense. XD)

Chapter Six: A new friend...

Rocks crunched beneath her black heeled boots as she walked confidently along the rocky ground. Her arms were crossed, her sapphire eyes narrowed. A hot breeze blew from the North, ruffling her long black hair. She was tired and thirsty, but did her best not to show it. Even though the sun was just coming up after a long night, it was still unbearably hot and dry.

She covered the area in long strides, her silver dragon pendant bouncing against her chest, it's amethyst eyes glittering in the early morning sun. The heavy pawsteps of the wolf beside her were swift and steady, and she heard the dull clank of the silver chain around his neck.

The girl kept a careful lookout for anything suspicious. She was sure to check behind every rock and in every shrub in case something unexpected was lurking in the shadows. Everything was quiet and peaceful. She halted and rolled her eyes. "I guess we're going home, then?" she said to herself. But then she heard a low, fierce snarl. She turned to look down at the husky wolf to her right. "Hisoka?" she murmured. "Is everything all right?"

The wolf had his sharp white fangs bared, and his muscles rippled beneath his bright golden fur as he crouched and took a few steps closer to the gorge.

She was alarmed. "Careful, Hisoka! You don't want to - huh?" She broke off at the sound of a faint groan. Rocks tumbled down the step cliffside, echoing in the gorge. She got down on her hands and knees next to her wolf and peered over the edge to see just what Hisoka was growling at.

"Oh my!" She gasped, jerking back in surprise. Her eyes were wide, and for a moment, she wasn't sure what to do. But then she leaned over the edge of the gorge again and extended her arm, reaching for his gloved hand. "Take my hand; I'll help you!"

She placed her hand over his, grabbing his wrist firmly. Her muscles strained as she leaned back to pull him up to safety. Hisoka kept his muzzle over the edge, jaws parted, as he waited. The girl grabbed his other wrist with her free hand, smiling a little as his grip tightened. She heard him grunting with the effort if trying to climb, rocks tumbling to the bottom of the gorge as he scrabbled desperately. When he was close enough, Hisoka grabbed the boy's blue half-jacket in his jaws and helped her haul him up over the edge.

The boy collapsed on his belly in exhaustion. Hisoka took a step back and sat down, tilting his head to one side in bewilderment. The girl rubbed her hands on her legs, smearing her skin with blood. She took a moment to look the boy over. His clothes were ragged and stained with dirt. His hands were raw and bleeding, and a pool of blood strained the front of his shirt. His tall red hair was a mess and his golden eyes were dull.

"Thanks for...helping me," he rasped, his voice scratchy from dehydration.

The girl was concerned for his well-being. How long could he have been like that? "What the heck happened to you?" She asked, reaching out and running a finger along his cheek to wipe away the dirt.

He coughed, and she put a hand on his shoulder in comfort. He struggled to sit up before he mumbled, "A...a battle..." His eyelids began to drop and he could barely hold his head up.

She could tell he was getting very weak, very fast. He didn't have long now. She scooted over to him and put one arm around his waist. Then, she stood up quickly, causing him to gasp at the sudden strain. He put his arm over her shoulders and leaned against her.

"Where do you live?" she asked urgently, taking a step forward. He stumbled beside her, his legs weak.

"Metal Bey City," he groaned out. His voice was so slurred with exhaustion, she could barely understand him. "Find the...find the...the B-Pit."

"What's your name?" she asked as she began to move forward, Hisoka at her side.

"Ginga..." he moaned. "Ginga Hagane."

His body went limp and he gave her no help as she continued to walk swiftly, his feet dragging along behind him. It slowed her down, but she kept going, well aware that only she stood between life and death for him.

"Hold on, Ginga," she whispered. "I'll get you there in time. You'll be fine." She situated her grip on him. "I'm Stephanie."

She continued to push on, and she thought she heard him murmur, "Thank you...Stephanie."

Credits. Stephanie Starlette Doci belongs to Duelist of the Stars.

Okay...I never intended to kill Ginga in that battle! I just thought it would set up for a sequel. It worked, yes? :3

Sorry if the formatting is weird; I typed this whole thing on my iPod. (I can finally upload on mobile device! Yay!

.::Review Replies::.

MaziMe: Aww, that's no fun. I hope you get it fixed soon!(: Orange juice/ orange wine; same difference :P Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Zineb1196: Sorry I didn't reply last chapter; I completely missed the review! Thanks soooo much for reading!

(:Mizune