78 V2Ch78 New Champion

I quickly made my way back to the Trackers Guild to drop off my new valuable poison in my room. I ran out in a hurry. I held down my hood as I ran through the city.

I came across an overcrowded area of the city. Some large event was going on. I didn't want to have to push through. I took the long route that goes by the beach.

As I ran, I saw a backlit figure standing at the top of a higher cliff over the ocean. I tried to ignore it, but my conscience wouldn't let me. It was a popular suicide spot. Sharp rocks below and no safe way to get out between the waves that crash against the cliff.

I pumped my legs with strength and made it over to the poor soul in three bounds. She was literally beginning to tip forward when I caught her and leaped back toward the city with her in my arms. It was the tiger beast-woman from the Trackers Guild.

Her body was limp. She had given up on life already. It didn't matter that she was removed from the power of taking her own life.

"Can you tell me why?"

I asked her as I began hopping rooftops to get to the Fighters guild. Her head was slumped forward and she refused to say anything. I reached the final roof where I could see the entrance to the guild below. As much as I want to get to the guild, what point would there be if I left her alone right now?

I propped her up against the shaded side of a chimney and sat next to her.

"You never told me your name."

She seemed almost comatose. I was determined to get something out of her.

I tried tickling the pads on her hand. I began harassing the hair on her head to imitate a fly roaming.

"The countdown has begun! If the champion does not show up soon, he forfeits the match."

I could hear the announcer from here.

"Bah. Guess I'm missing my fight."

I whispered under my breath.

".... ..... .. .... .. ..."

She said something. I could barely hear the sounds.

"What's that?"

"Just leave me here to die..."

She managed to speak loud enough for me to hear if I concentrated on her words.

"Sorry, I couldn't hear you."

"Leave me."

She spoke loudly that time.

"Eh.. I Uh, I just can't understand what you're saying. Can you speak more clearly?"

"LET ME DIE!"

She screamed out. She lurched forward and began to cry in her hands.

"If this stupid fight is so important, then go!"

"Ya know, you're right."

I spoke matter of factly. I'm moved closer and brought my left arm around her shoulders.

"There's just one thing. I have something more important than the fight."

I pulled her hand away from her face and intertwined our two right thumbs.

"As long as you are hurting this much, the fight is meaningless. You are much more important than a few gold coins."

"Why, though? We hardly knyow each other?"

"So? Is there some law that says I can't care about someone that I haven't known for x amount of time?"

She stayed still and wiped her eyes with her free hand a few times.

"Are humans always this pushy?"

"It wasn't unheard of."

"Wasn't?"

It only took a second for her to remember that I'm technically part of an extinct species.

"I'm sorry. I've made a fool of myself again."

"No, you didn't. I'd much rather be here with you than a bunch of stupid humans."

"Do you hate humans?"

She leaned her head on my shoulder.

"I don't hate them. I like some of them. Most of them are stupid. Many of them are racist and or hateful. I'm one of the stupid ones."

I think she tried to laugh. I can't see if she's smiling.

"YOUR NEW CHAMPION, EVERYONE!"

"Aaaaand I lost. Oh well. Is it still okay if I hang out with you? You've only just learned that I'm stupid and now you know I'm a loser as well."

She turned to her right and rested her head on my chest and her hand on my stomach.

"Stop."

"Stop what? Breathing? Okay."

I made an over-exaggerated inhale.

"Stop trying to make me feel better."

She started sobbing again. Her hand began forming a fist against my stomach.

"I can't promise that."

"Why? I don't deserve to feel better. I'm a danger to others. I'll always be afraid to love again. What if I end up killing a lover, a husband or even my own child! How am I supposed to live with that on the back of my mind?"

"I'd like to say it's easy but it's not. I was in a very similar situation. I was at a point where I wanted to die, too."

"And? How did you make it past that?"

"How? I didn't have a choice. I have a hypothetical question for you."

"Hype-o what?"

She looked up at me. Her face was contorted in confusion and pain. It was cute, goofy and sad all at the same time.

"A pretend question. If you were incapable of dying and I wasn't here, what would you do?"

"Incapable of dying? How do you mean?"

"If you healed like me. You could stab yourself in the heart and walk away within seconds. Cut your throat, smash your head. Nothing worked. What would you do?"

"I... that's nyot fair. I think... I think I'd just curl up into a ball. Just do nyothing."

"So, no matter what, you would just stay in one spot? What about sunburn? What about cold rainy days? What about random cruel people that find you and try to hurt you? What if someone was beating up a kid right in front of you? Would you ignore them?"

"Nyo..."

"Then you wouldn't do nothing. Just focus on that. The knowledge that you wouldn't just let someone else suffer. Have you helped people in life or death situations in the past?"

She nodded.

"Would they still be alive today, if you hadn't helped them?"

"Nyot some of them..."

"Remember those people. Remember what you did for them. Think about how much worse off they would have been if you weren't there to help them. You saved their lives. You have the power, the insight and the ability to save lives. You can do so much more than shrivel up or die."

I rubbed the fur on her shoulder for a while.

"Can ny stay the night again?"

"Hmm? I don't mind but, do you not have a place to stay? Shouldn't you have a room at the Trackers Guild?"

"I don't."

I wanted to ask why but she didn't seem to be in the mood to answer.

"Well, it's fine. Any time you want, actually. I'd like the company."