Chapter 13: Just Who is This?

"Run!! RUN OR IT'LL GETCHA YA FOOLS? DON'T TRY TO FIGHT IT!" Said a runaway fugitive. He was covered in mere bandages and rags. Seems his compadres were easily snatched up by some mysterious force. He wasn't going to go down without giving it his best effort. The fugitive kept running and running until his lungs were screaming for air. What was even worst,he saw a sign no Neotic in history would ever wanna see.

Merribell Woods. "No..not this place, especially with what's been happening here as of late! I simply can't get my way outta this,whatever that thing was. It killed my mates. Grr..guess I have no choice but to go in and hide." The disgruntled man says. He nervously walks into the entrance of Merribell Woods not knowing he's being watched.

The forest itself is dark. Very dark indeed. There are no signs of life anywhere. The only noise that could be heard in the woods are the wind blowing through the trees. No birds sang in the air,no animals scurried on the ground,there was nothing to be heard except the footsteps of this man in particular. The woods felt like they had been empty since forever ago. Not even an animal could be heard. The only sounds left in those woods were the crunching noises the fugitive made when he walked.

As he walked further, he came across a clearing. The sky above was dark blue, clear as day even. The man looked around cautiously trying not to bump into anything or run into anyone,especially that creature he was so fortunate to escape. His eyes darted over every tree and bush he passed hoping to spot anything moving. He didn't know how long he was walking before he noticed an tunnel. Maybe this was the way out. The man began to walk mindlessly into the dank and dark tunnel hoping to find some safety, thankfully this was a rather small tunnel. Though it reek of animal urine and feces. The man's willpower alone pushed him forward as he dived deeper and deeper inside the tunnel.

Soon enough, the tunnel opened up and it gradually lightened up as if someone had turned on a lamp switch. The man let out a sigh of relief. Finally, his feet were touching something else besides dirt. The man stood there for a second thinking he had arrived at civilization,or maybe a dead end. As he got his bearings though, he was met with a wall of solid stone. And that was just a start. There were stairs. They led back out to the forest itself. Once again greeted by the calm eerie silence. The man had hope to leave this dreaded place. "Dammit..how long is this place. I rather be in the Blue Forest if that's the case." He muttered to himself angrily. Soon the man would regret his words. A feint rustle of bushes and leaves was heard in the distance. The man paused to relieve himself on a tree and proceeded to keep moving.

"H-Hello?!" He called out. "Is anybody there?" He said once again. The poor fool had no idea what he had just done,neither did anyone else when they stumbled into this place of unfamiliarity. "Guess not,I must keep moving,I cannot afford to look back. No not now." The man says as he starts to have stumble. His speech becomes a bit slurred and his vision now blurry. Suddenly he falls unto the ground and falls into a deep sleep.

He doesn't remember falling asleep. One moment he was walking,the next he woke up laying on grass. It's strange he was face first in broken sticks and mud,but whatever it could have been that made him pass out was..gone. The feeling that is. The man began to rise off his face and wobbly knees, sleep-deprived and hungry even. His tummy growled and hoped it wasn't nature calling. He was fortunate no one was around to watch,however he'd figured it was safe enough to take care of business. No one was after him anymore. He was now a free man. The man goes behind a wide and tall tree. One that stands taller than the rest. He unzips his pants and squats readying himself to defecate.

What he didn't know was this did cause someone's attention. The small figure that overlook these very woods and stopped criminals in their tracks. They smelled the foul excrement and awoken from their slumber. Repulsed by the awful smell. They force themselves not to retch at the sight of the man's horribly discolored fecal matter. The figure descended from the tree and hopped to smaller ones to avoid being detected.

"Huh?..oh crap..I knew someone was here.That rustling just now..I'm vulnerable..I don't wanna die,not with my pants around my ankles." The man mumbled. He searched for anything to wipe with. He found some leaves and did just that. Once he finshed. The man picked up his trousers went for a river to wash his hands in and hoped to keep moving. The figure followed closely behind and gently walked atop the branches of the many trees before them.

The figure was curious about this man,so curious they took out a small journal and wrote of what they have found. "Weirdo that poops. Seems docile in nature,skinny in body,possibly 138 pounds soaking wet,navy blue hair,pale white skin and covered in dirt. Hope to learn more of this creature." They wrote as they mumbled to themselves. After following this man,the figure hopped a few more branches and saw the man begin to strip.

Intrigued and curious the mysterious figure looked from beyond the trees and blushed a little. "Oh..s..so that's what a penis looks like? I'm not impress really. Wait. That is a penis isn't it?' The figure asked themselves. They jumped from branch to branch in an attempt to stay unnoticed and keep away. The man began to bathe himself in the river. He figured no one was around. Except this illustrious creature that watches over Merribell Woods.

They watched for more confirmation to their original question and to answer a few more. This was in deed a male. a young male it seemed no younger than 18 to 20 years of age. "Aww..poor baby..maybe I should help them. They won't be needing these dirty clothes." The figure thought. With such speed. The clothes that once laid on a branch were now reduce to dust.

"There now were .Oh were do I find more clothes..hmm..aha. I know just the place." The figure said moving at a blur. They found a nearby woman who was dead of course,yet her clothes were reasonably clean. The figure snatched them off this deceased corpse and rushed back to the man. "There ya go. No more dirty clothes. Hehe. I even snagged some undergarments for ya. Clean as ever. Do enjoy my forest. " The figure whispered to themselves.

The man finished his bath and had hope to dry off somehow. He immediately noticed his clothes were missing. Angry and frustrated by this. He kicked and screamed and twirled about. This only humor his hidden guest. "Woman clothes..w..what in the world is this place? I never put these here? Just what sorta joke is happening here." He thought to himself.

"Guess I have no other choice. I'll fulfill a secret desire. I hope no one'll see me like this thought. " He grumbled as he placed his slender frame in to the womanly garments they fit him perfectly. Only his slender tummy was exposed to the elements. The figure struggled to keep in their laughter, they rocked and roll along the branch. They were having the greatest time of their life.

Well until they cause themselves to fall out of a nearby tree possibly to their demise. "KWIP!!" The sound was made the moment this stranger fell into her rescue's small arms. At this point the hidden figure was no longer hidden. They opened their eyes and looked upon the man that had caught them. An awkward silence between the two. The humanoid creature was in awe of the man's beauty and the man was in awe of his new sudden admirer. Two beautiful green eyes. Stared back at him. Bits of fluffy white hair seemed to have become unkempt from the sudden impact after the fall.

They were not sure what to say at first and were quite lost still they couldn't help but stare. "How did you find me? What's your name?" The man finally asked still unable to take his gaze off of the new addition. "Who are you? What exactly are you doing here? Are you alright?" The man asked as he noticed this stranger was rather small in stature. No more in height say that of four foot five or four foot four. "Tiny..very tiny indeed." He thought the man placed the stranger on their feet and fixed their mask and little hood. "I..I..Uh-uh.." The figured paused. The man introduced himself first. " Call me Na. I am sorry if I intruded into your home. Are you injured?" He asked. " The figure undid the bandages that surrounded her mask. Once they were unravelled. Na was in astonishment. The figure was a woman or at least had a feminine face. A large almost whitish scar covered the left side of this strangers face. Na wondered what happened to the poor little thing.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He continued. The girl paused for a moment and thought carefully on what to say. "Oh no worries hehe. It's just a old warrior wound or should I say warrioress hehe. Ya see. I uh..took upon the role of defendin' these woods and it seems their was a ton of illegal and criminal activity goin on around here. So why not beat some people up for the heck of it, plus youse the first I've seen treat my woods with any kinda respect. I thank for that good sir Na." The smol creature properly bowed before their new guest.

"What's your name miss..Uh..you are a woman..right?" Na asked hoping not to anger this mysterious stranger. "I am very well a woman,born and raised yep yep. But as for my name. Let's just say I'll give you a easy hint. Come find me when ya do. What's one thing all mortals hope to change,but some fail to. Ya have FIVE MINUTES. Catch me if ya cannnnn." The little lady said as she leapt up to a tree and skipped across each branch merrily.

Na was left confused and followed the young woman with his eyes. He noticed her skin color was a light grey if not pale. "No..t..that's impossible..i..if that's true than that means..I gotta keep this little one safe. Don't you worry little gremlin. I'm coming for ya." The young boy began as he ran after her.

She leapt into an oak tree where she crouched and watched from the branches. She laughed as the boy tried to climb after her. He was clumsy and lacked strength,but his heart filled with courage.

He finally managed to grab hold onto a limb. He hoisted himself upwards then climbed higher and farther. "Ha ha ha you look like you're gonna fall! Come on,catch me!" The small girl cheered. "Ya wanna know my name so bad ya better hustle only ten minutes leftttt." She sanged as her light frame made leaping to branch to branch a cakewalk. As for the young lad,he wasn't doing so hot.

"What? I thought it was FIVE minutes not ten?!" Na yelled confused. The small girl ignored him and kept getting further and further away. He eventually climbed to the top and figured leaping branches wasn't that hard.

"Get ready little runt. Here..I..GO!!" Na says as he uses his speed and momentum to carry himself upright. Eyes going left,right,up and down in attempts not to fall. He had to keep in mind he was wearing a skirt while doing this. Nervous,yet determine the young man finally caught up to the girl who patiently waited for him.

"Aww ya caught me hehe. That was fun. Wanna do it again Na?" The small girl asks as the poor lad was struggling to keep his breath. He placed a hand on her fluffy hair and was instantly rejuvenated with energy.

"Whoa..your hair..It's white..there is no doubt now..I think I know who you are. But first the answer to your riddle little one. Destiny..that's exactly it isn't it?" Na asks the small girl as he points at her. She smiled and hugged him.

"Congrats. I am her,she is I,WE are one. I am the Destiny that was dead,but now I'm basically immortal. Soooo..yeah that whole thang." She confirmed.

"B..but the news was right for once? Wow and I thought Earth was bad. So you're alive and well,how is it that Daddy Fafir hasn't found you yet?" Na wondered. Destiny placed a small grey hand over his mouth and smirked. "Cause I hate him and I rather not be found. Plus at will,I can change my hair color and do plenty of other things. I just figured I hide here away from prying eyes." The girl giggles.

The two continued to talk more and more,eventually they sleep in the trees resting on the large branch. What a day it's been for Na. Once a fugitive and now being befriended by a goddess,what else can happen?