The Guardians of Water and Fear
[[Context in case everyone forgot <3 : The group of Pyro, Fauna, and Ross came across Takot, and soon after, Alouette. The group began walking towards the cave. Ross told Takot to hang back because he needed to talk to him.]]
Takot felt a tug on his shoulder and turned to see Ross telling him to hang back from the group. He was confused, but cooperative. "Uh...Okay. Why are we staying back?"
Ross waited to make sure the others had advanced out of earshot. Once he was certain, he turned to address Takot with a grin. "I saw your sudden interest upon mention of Remillia. What did you have in mind?"
Takot shifted nervously, his eyes darting from side to side. "What!? Interst?" Takot interrupted himself with a series of odd noises, including: Pfffft, heh, ahh, etc. When he was able to resume comprehensible speech, he was still rather flustered and blushed. "What do you mean 'interest'?"
Ross laughed quietly, but he couldn't contain himself and nearly busted out laughing. He quelled the laughter, but his voice was still quite loud. Luckily, the others didn't notice. "I saw the way you instantly perked up when you heard her name. Now quit denying it. Tell me what you had in mind. Some way to impress her, perhaps?"
Takot gave in, and laughed at his childishness. Actually, he did quite feel like a teenager talking about girls this way. "Alright, alright! Yeah, okay, I admit it. Just don't tell anyone okay? I have been trying to think of a way to impress her. You know, win her over."
It was all Ross could do to conceal his wolfish grin. Not that he would tell anyone, it wasn't in him to lie....Concealing the truth maybe, but not lying. "Yeah, don't worry about it. Just don't do anything stupid."
"Heh, alright." Takot stared off for a moment, contemplating a question. After a moment of hesitation, he decided that Ross could indeed be trusted. He turned back to address the Guardian of Water, "Hey, do you know any way I could impress her?"
"Not one that isn't crazy, reckless and bound to make everyone more afraid of you than they naturally are. I wouldn't want to give you any ideas." Ross turned his head away so Takot cannot see his wolfish grin. He was just goading him into further questions, making him anticipate his idea. That way, he'd be more inclined to go through with it.
Unknowingly, Takot fell right into it. "Hah, come on, it's not like anything could get any worse. Lay it on me!"
Ross couldn't help but laugh inwardly. He didn't know why, but he was quite enjoying meddling with this one. Contrary to this, he stayed composed as he laid out his 'idea,' "You're the Guardian of fear. You're trying to impress the Guardian of Nether. The portal's already open. What do you suppose would happen if you were to use your powers in there?"
A polar opposite to what he had felt just a minute prior, Ross was inwardly petrified. He remembered his dream of Remillia and Pyro overlooking a terrifying Nether. Takot wasn't there, but that didn't mean he had no hand in it. Still appearing nonchalant he continues, "But, that's crazy. She'd probably just hate you."
He couldn't help but mess with Takot like this. It seemed somewhat against his will, but he enjoyed it all the same.
Takot seriously considers the idea before coming to a conclusion. "Hm, that actually seems like a really good idea!" He hesitates and adds in an undertone, "Unless, of course, it just makes her hate me..." Takot suddenly felt vulnerable because Ross seemed to dwarf him in presence. Ross seemed like a really nice guy, pretty powerful, and not afraid of him either. He was so excited about the latter, that he didn't stop to think about why. Tentatively he asked, "Ross? This is going to sound silly...But will you be my friend?"
Ross was quite enjoying his conversation with Takot, and so felt oddly guilty for messing with him like this. The guy's so lonely, he'd probably find companionship with his own shadow. "Of course I will, if you promise not to be my enemy." Despite the fact that he was accepting a request for friendship, Ross couldn't help but plant doubt. Again, he felt bad for it. Hopefully this will stop soon. Am I still corrupted? ...I heard the others are looking for the Guardian of Purification. Maybe she could help me....
Takot's face absolutely lit up. "Wow, thanks! You probably don't believe it, but I've never had a friend before!" He saw a shadow pass over Ross' face and immediately became both worried and self-conscious. "Err, are you okay? You look troubled....Is it something I said?!"
Ross shook his head, half a gesture to dispel Takot's worry and half to clear his own mind. "No, it's nothing about you..." Ross looked around for the group that they let advance without them, and they were further away than he had thought. Ross seized the opportunity to change the subject before he could be further questioned. "They're pretty far ahead of us, we should hurry and catch up." Before Takot could protest, Ross ran off towards the group.