[B]Vix[/B] -- [I]A Change of Opinion[/I]

Proudly proceeding briskly towards the tall grasses of Route One, she only paused briefly when the Jaden caught back up at long last after apologizing to his newfound rival. When he demanded that she act more well, unlike her usual self, her cheeks puffed out once again as if he had stepped beyond some personal boundary. 

Yet as much as she wished she could refuse, he was her trainer. The key to becoming something greater than what her current state was. 

So caught up in this distate of being told what to do, she did not even notice when a large vehicle came to a screeching halt in front of them. From it stepped a nervous Rat, and soon after, a tall menacing man. As Jaden tensed, so did she, even shrinking back a little fearfully. 

Whomever this man was, he was truly a force to be reckoned with, such a notion was far beyond any doubt. He spoke to her Master cruelly, with unfair severity whose abrasiveness extended even to her. Each time he addressed her as an [i][b]it[/b][/i], she flinched. In both a mixture of digust, and fear.

He was one of [i]those[/i] people. Those who regarded her kind as little more than just pieces of insignificant property. Those who considered her kind as little more than tools.

Oh how swiftly she came to [i]loathe[/i] this man with all her being. Yet her attention sharply changed with a resounding crack that echoed through the air, that drew her lips curling into a snarl. This bastard had [b]struck[/b] her trainer?!

[I]How dare he?![/i]

Sharply she inhaled a deep breath, preparing a burst of flame to protect the boy, but the moment she was ready to unleash a maelstrom the bastard had absconded back to his vehicle, and promptly was driven off by that poor Rattata.

Once he had disappeared, a long silence lingered between thw two. Until Jaden took off witu a hastened march towards Route One. If anything, the Uncle's accusations had gotten the better of her. Sure she was a trickster, but there was no way that she'd set Jaden up to be mugged!

"Master, wait!" She cried out, struggling to keep up since Kimonos weren't the best when it came to mobility. Not realizing he couldn't hear her over the string of curses beneath his breath, the little Fox bustled after him as quickly as she could. Until he stopped and slumped into a seat right before the entrance to the first route leading out of Pallet Town.

She stopped before him, half bent over so that she chanced the moment to catch her breath, and once she did, she heard the tensed hiss of pain. A quick study revealed it was from where he had been struck, and the girl sighed slightly.

Gingerly she dropped to her knees so that knelt before his slumped form. If there was anything she could do to help the situation, this one was probably the easiest. Slowly, she reached out and moved the hand that was trying to ease the pain on cheek to hold it with one of her own.

"I-I know it hurts, let me help Jaden, [i]please[/i]." Then, and only then, did the gentle, invigorating warmth of her fingertips brush his cheek before the entire hand came settled in a comforting caress.

"I'm sorry, Jaden. For giving you so much trouble to start, and trouble in the future. Raising one of my kind is really, well, challenging." Yet she smiled, worried all the same, but what a beautifully serene smile it was."Thank you for defending me...I promise that I might play games and tease you from time to time, but, I will do whatever I can to make you proud, okay?"

She relinquished the hand he had stolen, and held up her own with just the pinky extended; in a humorously childish sort of way, the little Vixen quipped a small guarantee. "I pinky promise I will. Just, well, always treat me as an equal in exchange. Do we have a deal?"

[@ Raijinslayer]