The Call of the Wild: Crash Course

[Leda]

This... was a lot harder than he'd expected.

The meager provisions he'd hastily packed already having been depleted, Espio the Chameleon struggled to find something to eat as afternoon passed and evening approached on the first day of his new life. A discouraged frown spread across his features; he knew things on his own wouldn't be easy, but he didn't expect this.

Of course, he wouldn't have had too much more luck if he'd stayed home, either. After having disgraced his entire village, lost the respect of the only person whose opinion had ever mattered, and even earned the ire of a freakin' princess, running away seemed like the only option left. If he'd stayed, it only would've made people even angrier, and that snooty chipmunk lady probably would've had him executed.

And so it came that Espio sat in the grass, the pale green stalks so tall he was nearly hidden among them, tired and lonely and with a rumbling belly. The bread and cheese he'd stolen from the kitchen on his way out lingered on his tongue from breakfast, and he yearned for more. Unfortunately, the reptile found himself left only with foraging -- which, at that moment, he realized he'd never done before in his life. Letting out a miserable sigh, Espio resorted to eating the only thing he really had an abundance of.

Grass.

[V for Vizetta]

You would think with all that grass, someone could hear a person coming up behind them... But Espio would hear a calm, older voice behind him after a few moments.

"You know... there are healthier things you could be eating."

[Leda]

Startled to his core, Espio nearly leaped straight onto his feet. Instead, however, he spun around and fumbled backwards onto his hands, only to find... ... ... a weird old man. The teenager let out a relieved breath. "I don't have anything else," he said once he'd gathered his wits.

[V for Vizetta]

The 'weird old man' was in fact an echidna, who stood calmly as he watched the chameleon scramble away.

"Perhaps I can help, then. My campsite is nearby, and I have some food I'm willing to share."

[Leda]

Espio's face brightened for a moment at the thought of real food, but fell back into unease just as fast. "You're... Are you associated with a girl that's sorta..." How do I describe her without getting in trouble again? "Um... Red-brown hair, brown fur, some sorta chipmunk?"

[V for Vizetta]

Athair's eyebrows furrowed for a moment at the question.

"No, I don't believe I know anyone looking like that personally."

[Leda]

"Well that's a relief," he muttered to himself. Rising to his feet and dusting off, the lizard extended a hand to his elder. "My name's Espio. Who're you?"

[V for Vizetta]

Athair glances at the offered and, and instead bowed. "My name is Athair." The echidna straightened back up after a moment.

"If I may ask... Where are you from?"

[Leda]

Realizing he'd used the wrong greeting, Espio bowed in return, but had resumed his uneasy expression by the time he'd straightened back up. If there was one thing he didn't have, it was a poker face. "Does it really matter that much where I'm from?" he said, in what was very clearly a verbal sidestep.

[V for Vizetta]

That in itself told the elder quite a bit. "I'm simply curious. I'm sure you have your reasons for being so far from anyone else." The echidna spoke calmly, in a very subtle attempt to get the boy to open up while he led the way towards the echidna's campsite.

[Leda]

"Well... sorta, but... I mean... ..." For a moment, he didn't immediately follow. After all, what was to say that he wouldn't just screw up all over again? He hadn't been having the best of luck as of late. But at the prospect of continued solitude and having only sticks and rocks to eat, Espio eventually snatched his backpack and jogged to catch up with the aged echidna.

[V for Vizetta]

"Hm?" The elder glanced behind him, seeming interested as he continued walking.

"It's obvious that whatever's happened has bothered you. It's a sizable walk to the camp, wh don't you tell me about it?" The echidna slowed, allowing the chameleon to catch up.

"I won't judge you."

[Leda]

The teenager frowned and cast his eyes aside into the sea of grass through which they waded. "I just... can't go home, okay?"

[V for Vizetta]

The elder frowned slightly at this. "That's a rather unfortunate fate. Were you banished? Or do you simply have nowhere to return to?" This second option was even more unpleasant than the first, but Athair was covering his bases.

[Leda]

"Kinda... I didn't really get kicked out.. but... prolly was gonna happen anyway." Espio's posture worsened as he carefully folded his arms. "Assuming somethin' worse didn't happen instead."

[V for Vizetta]

The elder remained quiet, his entire demeanor quietly encouraging the boy to continue.

[Leda]

The silence lingered for several minutes before Espio even realized it was there. His mind drifted over the events of the last few days, fretfully fussing over every detail and how unfair it all was. This abruptly came to an end, however, when he discovered Athair waiting for him to elaborate.

"...Anyway, I decided to take control and beat 'em to the punch!" the chameleon declared, straightening up and puffing out his chest. "If no one wants me around, I don't wanna be around, either!"

[V for Vizetta]

The elder considered this for a long moment, his eyes half-closed in contemplation.

"Did anyone tell you they wished for you to leave your... village?" As he wasn't sure where Espio was from, a village seemed the safest bet.

[Leda]

"Well not yet... But it was coming." If Princess Bitch didn't cut off my head, anyway.

[V for Vizetta]

"How can you be so sure?" The elder responded, without missing a beat.

[Leda]

Espio couldn't keep himself from cringing. "......Trust me."

[V for Vizetta]

"I suppose I must. But if you do decide to speak about it, I intend to simply listen. I'm told I can be rather good at that." The echidna glanced at his companion. He'd caught the cringe, and knew it would be good for Espio to get this off his chest... whatever it was.

Confession was good for the soul, after all.

[Leda]

Espio released a heavy sigh; his breast had begun to ache. "I....I really wish I could go home..."

[V for Vizetta]

The elder was quiet at this small statement, his response a minute or so in coming... but when he spoke, his voice was quiet.

"Espio..." The elder stopped, turning to face the boy. "... What forced you to leave?"

[Leda]

The chameleon paused as well, conflicted as to just how detailed an answer he should give. He wanted desperately to tell his story, in the hopes that maybe, possibly, someone that wasn't involved in it all might tell him that he wasn't incorrigible and that things really weren't fair. Maybe a third party would actually understand what happened.

Then again, what were the odds of that? No one else had ever seen his side of things; anytime he'd tried to communicate it, he'd always been dismissively told he was being a brat and to grow up. He'd gotten enough reprimands from Rob to last well into his new life on the lam, and didn't really want to start his exile with another scolding from another authority figure.

Espio's disheartened and agonized eyes met with the echidna's. The old man really seemed genuinely concerned. Maybe... maybe he could tell him... But just a little bit.

"I..." His eyes dropped back to the ground. "I just.... messed up."

[V for Vizetta]

The elder again was quiet, the tone of his voice never changing.

"Tell me about it as we walk. I've only just met you, so I can't make an sort of judgment, besides how I see things as you tell them" The echidna smiled, hopefully encouragingly.

"Tell me your story, Espio."

[Leda]

He didn't exactly look convinced, but the teenager shrugged his backpack higher onto his shoulder and shuffled along after the old echidna. "Mmmn... What's to tell? I keep gettin' in trouble for stuff I didn't even know was wrong..."

[V for Vizetta]

Athair remained quiet, simply listening as he walked.

"That seems unfair to you, doesn't it?"

[Leda]

"Dude, you have no idea. I mean, I run into this girl in the middle of nowhere and she's got a sick friend, so I told her she could come to my village and we'd help 'em, right? But every time I tried to help she just kept getting pissy and snapping at me, and it took forever to get home because everything had to be HER way. And even once we got there, I felt bad for 'em because they had to leave all their stuff behind, so I went and got their bags for them. And y'know what she said?? NOTHING, because she was IGNORIN' me! She said she refused to say thanks for what I went outta my way to do just because I hadn't actually handed anything over yet! And I was just SO freaking sick of all of her bitchin' and moaning that I finally snapped at her and......."

The chameleon frowned, turning his eyes aside to the skyline. Apparently he had no intention of finishing his sentence.

[V for Vizetta]

The elder glanced over as Espio stopped, remaining silent for the most part.

"And..?"