A Favor to Repay

I was chilling in my room the next morning when there was a knock at my door. The video chat function had a one way option. Allowing the person in the room to see who was outside without revealing themselves. I clicked on that one way feature, and an image of the lower half of Goliath's face popped up on the screen. I changed my color to match the color of the room behind me, and buzzed Goliath in.

Goliath strode in. Looking confused for a second before he spotted my shape, and closed the door. My coloration went back to normal as soon as the door clicked. My tail twitched as raised turned my head to look at him.

"What's up?" I clicked the hollo screen off.

I wasn't going to be able to watch it much when I was focused on chatting with Goliath.

"I want you to repay one of those favors," Goliath had a serious look on his face.

"Now?" I cocked my head in confusion, "The one on one event starts in three days when the group battles end. I don't think I have time for anything extra right now."

"I could use your eyes in a search, and rescue mission," Goliath looked at me, "A team went missing on one of the military planets. We just need to find proof of life or proof of death. Than we return here afterwards. Shouldn't take more then a day or two."

"You say that," I snorted, "But I'm rarely that lucky."

"Come on kid," Goliath smirked, "It uses up one of the favors you owe me. What do you have to lose?"

"My sanity," I stood up.

Goliath titled his head, and shrugged in an eh way.

"Fine," I lashed my tail, "But we better be back in two days. I want at least a day to rest up."

"Alright," Goliath threw his pack at me, "Let's get going."

"What's this?" I caught the pack, and looked at it funny.

"I told them you'd be carrying my bags if you came with," Goliath smirked, "And you wouldn't be leaving the settlement."

"Fun," I walked into the bedroom, and got ready to go.

Stuffing two pairs of clothes in my bag. That reminded me of the mana clothing I kind of wanted. I'd sent the mana thread I'd made so far, and the device back to the werewolves since I planned on heading there after I was done here. I left the room pretty quickly after that. Following Goliath as his loyal baggage carrier.

Savannah, and Ethan argued against me going for a little bit, but I told them it was a favor for Goliath. They dropped it after that. I didn't like the emptiness in my mind when I was left alone without Ethan, and Savannah at the back of my mind.

"I don't like this," I mumbled to myself as I walked to the hotel with Goliath.

"What's the matter?" Goliath looked back at me.

"I'm used to having Savannah, and Ethan at the back of my mind," I dropped the bag on the bed, and sat down impatiently waiting for Goliath to gear up, "I haven't been alone with my own thoughts in so long that it feels wrong to actually be alone mentally."

"That's not something to brag about," Goliath winced at that statement.

"What?" I shrugged, "I haven't been human for almost eight months. It doesn't pay for me to keep thinking like one."

"Don't get too lost in the mindset of a beast," Goliath warned, "If you're not careful you'll end up becoming my enemy."

"I'm bonded to two humans Goliath," I looked at the wall with a bored expression, "It's not a great idea to make them hate me."

Goliath looked at me with a concerned look. We headed out as soon as he was armored up. I was carrying his bag, but now it was mostly empty. It wasn't heavy to start with for me, but now it was really light with Goliath's gear out of it. The bag shrunk up.

I hadn't seen one like it in quiet some time. They were expensive tech laced cloth bags. Designed to to change size when the owner didn't need as much storage space. Plus the fabric itself was like Kevlar. Only stronger.

I was almost jealous. Almost. When we stepped out of the gates of the settlement I realized we were in a desert area of whatever planet this was. Great I complained internally as I thought about how far I'd have to go before I could switch forms. Then there was the added problem of no cover.

I'd have to switch back often if I saw any people.

"This sucks," I mumbled to myself.

"What?" Goliath frowned my direction.

"I won't be able to stay in my true form out here," I scanned the desert around us.

"This area has been restricted until the missing party has been found," Goliath stated, "Protocol states that this area stays restricted until further notice."

"Does the military do this every time someone goes missing?" I cocked my head.

"No," he answered with a tense tone of voice, "Only when an entire group disappears. People die on these foreign planets, but someone usually comes back. Even if they have to abandon the bodies of their comrades."

"So you just want me to keep an eye out for these missing guys?" I glanced back at the settlement.

"Yes," Goliath's tone went flat.

"Even if I only find bodies?" I rubbed the back of my neck.

"Bodies are better than nothing," he responded almost mechanically.

"What if we find nothing?" My curiosity got the better of me once again.

"Then all hunts, and missions are suspended until the planet has been surveyed," Goliath stopped, and looked down at me, "And if nothing can still be found than the planet's danger level is upgraded."

"Well we're not surveying the entire planet in two days," I looked up at him, "So what are we doing?"