20 Vol 1. pt. 20 Patch 4.0: Rocks are a Mans Best Friend (1/2)

Fenrir doesn't fully understand why, but when he looks at Rock now, it feels as if he's looking at his old dog from childhood. He feels the same desire to protect Rock that he did with her.

Even if it's just a game, even if this is a rock-turned-dog that he has known for a total of less than a day, he refuses to lose another friend. He didn't stand by back then, and he won't stand by this time either.

The tiniest amount of strength makes its way back into his body. He is filled with determination.

”Look at you, making a puppy fight for you. What kind of heartless bastard does that?” the woman asks despite being the one to try kicking it just moments ago. ”It really pisses me off that I have to hurt an animal just to kick your ass, but it's no better than its master if it's protecting you.”

She raises her staff and swings it down toward Rock. The staff was already broken once from hitting Rock, but it's still possible to whittle down its health with enough attacks.

Only, she hits Fenrir instead of Rock.

What little strength Fenrir could muster is used to throw himself over Rock, protecting the small pup from her staff. A single arm holding himself up is all that is keeping him from falling onto his friend.

”The hell are you doing, bastard? You were lucky enough to get a second chance and you—” she cuts herself off when she realizes just what it is that he's done.

Rock is standing in front of his face with concerned eyes. He can't make out any of its facial features other than its eyes staring into his own. It leans its head forward to lick his face. Its tongue may be made out of rock, but its smooth and just as comforting as the real thing.

Fenrir can't move his body again. For the second time, she has incapacitated him.

”Tch… damn it!” she shouts from behind him. He can't see what she's doing anymore.

Then he feels her hands press against where she impaled him. They're warm – too warm. No, it isn't her hands that are warm, it's something coming from her hands that is flowing into him.

The darkness overtaking his vision begins dissipating.

Is she healing him?

”Thought you wanted to kill me?” Fenrir asks, struggling to use his voice.

”Shut up. I'm not going to kill somebody that sacrifices themselves for a dog. The assholes I want to kill wouldn't even blink,” she explains.

With the darkness disappearing, he's able to see more and more of Rock's new features. Its ears are essentially two pointed slabs of rough rock, and its face is more of the same. The rest of its body is made out of the same blocky rocks, giving it the appearance of a low poly model despite the material its made out of being extremely detailed. There are chips in the rock, discolorations, rough edges, and more. While it may lack fur, its surface is mostly various shades of brown with spots of grey and white. The rocks around its silver eyes and on its nose are the only black parts.

”I told you I wasn't with them,” Fenrir tries explaining again. Somehow, the healing feels more aggressive than it was before.

”Then why the hell are you wearing their uniform? It even has their symbol on it! The only thing making you different is this useless bark you're wearing on top of it.”

He has to admit, she does have a point about the bark being useless. It really hasn't helped at all other than to cover himself up, and now that he's got proper clothes and armor, he doesn't really need it anymore. ”Are you talking about those garlic guys? Because I took this armor from the guy I killed. I only just started playing and was naked, so it was either continue walking around only wearing bark or take his stuff,” he says, watching Rock's expression grow happier as its master is being healed. Though, it occasionally steps back to peek over him at the woman. It gives her a cute little growl every time it does.

”You should have said that sooner!”

”Were you going to believe me?”

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”I – I… tch. You don't know that I wouldn't have! Also, I'll have you know that they're only black because that's all the merchant had! I wanted white, but—” she cuts herself off again. The healing grows even more aggressive. ”Shut up!”

”I'm not even saying anything!”

”Now you are, so – so, shut up!”

Rock barks at her again. ”Good boy, you've got my back,” Fenrir praises Rock.

Wait.

He presses his head against the ground to look underneath Rock. He doesn't see any male bits, but it's not like Rock has any bits of anything down there at all. ”Good boy?” he says, looking at Rock. Rock looks happy, but… ”Good girl?” Rock gives an excited bark and wags its tail.

Alright, so apparently Rock is a girl. He suddenly feels guilty for giving her such a masculine name.