The Aegis Awakens//Xenoblade Chronicles 2

VII. Unexpected Skill

The Aegis Awakens

//Chapter Seven; Unexpected Skill//

As much as Rex hated abandoning Regan, Nia, and Dromarch, he knew that they had no other choice. They ran from the soldiers pursuing them, having no idea of a safe location to hide. They ran quite far before a voice suddenly called out to them. Malos and Rex stopped and quickly looked in the direction of the voice. At first, they saw nothing but a wall until a hidden door opened.

A Nopon waved to them from the hidden entrance, "Friends, over here!" The male Nopon called out and when they did not immediately come over, he called out something else. "Hurry, hurry! Before soldiers catch up!" That got both Rex and Malos' attention, so they swiftly followed the Nopon into the building. The Nopon shut the door behind them before he followed them down the wooden ramp.

The place they were now in what definitely seemed to be a house. Malos had to admit that the house was actually quite nice, even though it definitely was not the time to be admiring the decor. Then again, it was not as though they could simply go back for the others. Even if Rex was more skilled, it would still be too risky. Attacking the soldiers head-on, especially since they had the ether nets, would most certainly just result in Malos and Rex getting captured as well.

He was definitely a little worried but if Regan's calm tone when she spoke to Rex was any indicator, she was actually not that worried about the situation. Malos figured that she likely just had appeared calm for Rex's sake, but it almost seemed way too genuine to be fake. "Malos, are you okay...?" Rex's voice disrupted his thoughts, and Malos just nodded in response. The Aegis was trying not to make his emotions obvious, but the boy evidently knew something was upsetting him.

"Friends, this way!" The Nopon called out to them as he realized that they had stopped following him. They walked over to where the Nopon was standing next to a table. This stranger seemed friendly enough, but Malos knew that trusting someone took time. He had only just met this Nopon, so he was still tense.

"Whoa, we're so high up!" Rex exclaimed as he looked out a window. He took a look down at the Cloud Sea before the Nopon spoke.

"Yes. Tora just likes to sit and watch Cloud Sea sometimes." The Nopon stated, and he said something else once Rex looked back in his direction. "Anyway, my name Tora."

The fifteen-year-old nodded, "Tora, I'm Rex. This is my Blade: Malos." The words made the Aegis feel a little guilty, but he quickly brushed it away. The boy obviously felt comfortable with Malos being his Blade, but the Aegis was not sure if Rex was his true Driver. Rex definitely had the potential; however, there was still the possibility that he was not Malos' true Driver.

"Tora see."

Rex shot a curious look at Tora "So...just why did you help us, exactly?" He asked, genuinely wondering just why the Nopon had taken the risk to help them.

"Oh, Tora not like big bully soldiers. Was watching them when Tora saw friends. Tora was intending to hit soldiers with a boom biter but missed... Results not so bad though, eh?"

"You were the one that hit the water pipe? Man, that was a good shot." Rex stated, "Thanks for the help." The boy said before Tora laughing caught Rex off guard.

"Tora...?"

The Nopon shook his head before he looked at Rex. "Actually, Tora has other reason for saving you." The fifteen-year-old had curiosity in his expression as Tora spoke. "You see, Tora always wanted to make Driver friends. Then, Tora saw Rex-Rex and others."

Rex nodded before he shot a look of confusion at the Nopon. "Rex-Rex...?" He questioned, and Tora just parroted it as a statement.

"You do realize it's just Rex, right?"