Chapter 78 - Hunting (1/2)

Laz didn't respond. He just looked at the little wolf with a somewhat dumb look on his face.

'Hey, I didn't ask you to follow me home, OK? You came on your own and you're laying in my bed. And now I'm stupid cause I can't talk to a four legged animal? WHAT THE HELL?'

For whatever reason, Laz didn't doubt that what Malene told him was true. Considering Aqua's reaction and that stupid grin on his face, Laz felt like what she had said was true. Although he couldn't figure out how they could talk to the wolf, he didn't really care to speak to the little princess at this moment. So he decided that glaring at her was the next best thing.

”Vivi huh? What a weird name for an overly furry dog,” was the best retort he could come up with and so he said it out loud.

Vivi just looked up at him for a moment before yawning and laying back down to enjoy Malene's petting.

”She just said something, didn't she?” Laz asked no one in particular.

Malene seemed to be keeping her silence at the moment and was trying not to laugh while stroking Vivi a bit roughly as though she was telling her to stop. Aqua didn't mind relaying the words though.

”She says Laz is a stupid name for a hairless virgin monkey, but you don't see her mentioning it,” Aqua relayed as he almost fell out of the air while laughing.

”WHO THE HELL SAID I WAS A VIRGIN?” Laz yelled back at the tiny wolf to defend his honor.

”Umm...” Malene looked up from the wolf with a strange grin on her face.

”That's the part you're going to take offense to?” She asked while looking at the young man in front of her.

Laz might have lost his cool for a minute, but when he calmed down enough to think about it, he couldn't help but wonder... did calling him a monkey have something to do with the crazy sexy psychopath? She always seemed to call him a monkey too. Or maybe that was just over thinking things? He looked at the little wolf who was now ignoring him and just rolled his eyes, deciding he didn't care.

The wolf that could talk and came out of nowhere and didn't make sense. The woman in his dreams that could hurt him made even less sense, so why bother? He would just take it as it came since it didn't seem like he could stop it.

Laz didn't say anything else but went over to the coat rack by the door and after shuffling aside a few jackets, finding where he had tucked Last Rites away last night.

Laz figured since he was going to go kill a monster, he might as well bring along a weapon. Only an idiot would wrestle a bear with his bare hands.

The room that mostly ignored him when he walked out was staring at him in shock when he came back in. Three sets of eyes were glued to the rather large handgun that he was holding in one hand while examining the clip with the other. He then slide it into place and put the safety on before looking up.

”What?” Laz felt a bit weird about the stares he was getting.

”She didn't mean it... ” Malene stammered out while looking at him nervously.

”Yeah young'n. No need to go off the handle,” Aqua added on.

Vivi made a rather pitiful whimpering noise as she retreated behind Malene.

'Young'n? How the hell old is this damn thing anyway?' Laz couldn't help but think to himself. As he looked at the rather frightened stares being directed at him, he figured out what the problem was.

”I thought we were going to go kill a bear? What, you want me to like rip it's heart out with my hands or something?” Laz tucked the gun away into the holster before locking it into place. The three seemed to have a moment of stupidity while sighing there after.

”Oh, that's what that is for. Jeez, you scared the life out of me,” Malene commented back while turning around and pick Vivi up and calm her down.

”Yeah, you should have said something sooner. We thought you were going to take out your virgin angst on the little one,” Aqua commented in a rather relieved tone.

”Why the hell would I shoot her over something like that? Is that how you see me?” Laz was wondering if he was some kind of cold blooded killer to them or something.

”No, no. But... most of the time you look rather dull and normal. But there are other times where it's like, you are a completely different person.” Malene had encountered Laz's angry side before and then, just like now, she realized she didn't really know anything about him. The only reason she asked for his help in the first place was because it had to do with something source essence based and she didn't know anyone else well enough to ask. She really didn't know him well enough to ask either, but she didn't have a choice.

”Oh? Different how?” Laz didn't know what she was talking about as it's not like he could look at himself and see when he looked different. As far as he was concerned, he was he all the time.

”Like... that night in the store... you know what? Never mind. Since you are helping me out, that's good enough for me.” Malene declared suddenly.

'What's with this sudden change in her?' Laz didn't know, but he felt like she just changed a bit. Aqua looked at her briefly, but didn't say anything. At least, not anything Laz could hear.

Vivi jumped down out of Malene's arms and walked over to Laz before standing up on her hind legs and reaching up his leg, but since she wasn't that big, she barely came up to his thigh.

Laz looked down while wearing a questioning look. Vivi just gave a small bark while stretching up further. Laz then reached down and picked her up not really sure what she wanted. She gave him a quick lick on the cheek as though saying she didn't mean to be rude.

Laz just chuckled a bit and started to pet her while looking at the others.

”She says sorry. She also wants to know if she can come with us?” Malene translated.

”You want to come too? You sure? This sounds dangerous,” Laz asked.

Vivi just gave a small bark in reply and relaxed while enjoying his clumsy petting.