Elmo yawned. They'd been walking for most of the day. Even though Owen had put in everyone's mind the final version of the map he'd made with his abilities, that didn't really help Elmo. He couldn't tell where they were at any given moment on the map. If he'd been drawing it by hand, at least then he'd know where he had been last drawing it.
Though, he had the feeling that Kim might be different, which he would be happy about if it didn't turn out they were lost. Though, on the other hand, at least they didn't have the other two teams walking with them. Especially Owen's team. Not that the team itself was a problem for Elmo, it was just that it had Owen on it. There was something about Owen that Elmo just couldn't trust and that got on his nerves.
Though, they were also travelling with Heather and Sonya. He didn't mind the two, but what he found rather interesting was how Elin at first didn't like them being there and almost clung to Kim protectively, but after Kim whispered something to Elin, she was much more welcoming to the two newcomers to their group.
Maybe it was something about girls and women Elmo would never understand, but he just found it strange. Not that he objected to it. He just wished he understood what was going on. If he knew that, then he might be able to know whether or not he needed to be careful around them.
However, he was also happy that Jonas was with them. Though, there wasn't a real reason for him to scout ahead of them, since unless there were dangers moving around on their own still, Elmo was pretty sure that most of the creatures they might encounter were already killed, so until they reached the minotaurs, they wouldn't need to worry so much about getting into a fight.
However, Elmo found that his feet were not happy with him. He'd never walked so much before and each step was starting to hurt to take. He didn't say anything to those around him, because he felt like he was becoming a burden to them, yet even at the rear of the group, he wasn't sure how long he'd be able to keep them from noticing how much each step hurt.
What he found surprising was how Elin was doing. For never having left the house she was born in, she wasn't walking like her feet were hurting her, despite having walked more these past few days without having had that much of a rest period with. Although, he had to acknowledge that not everyone had the same problems with how their bodies worked.
Though, he was a little surprised when Heather slowed her pace down and started walking next to him. She hadn't glanced in his direction, so he knew she couldn't have seem him limping any amount. Was there something she wanted to know about it or something? Elmo wasn't sure what it could be, if that was the case.
"Are you feeling alright?" Heather asked, quietly.
"Uh, I'm feeling alright, I guess," Elmo replied at the same volume, not sure what this had to do with anything. "Why?"
"Well, it's just that one of the skills my system started with was to be able to sense the status of other people," she replied. "And you're the only one who seems different. So, I thought I'd ask you if there wasn't anything wrong."
Elmo sighed. While he didn't want to say anything, he wasn't sure how good Heather was at keeping things to herself. She might be really good, but Elmo wasn't sure he wanted to take that chance, given how much he knew Kim disliked him. He didn't want to give her another reason to want him gone. So, he figured it probably would be quicker and quieter for him to tell her.
Besides, he was pretty sure her system a the healer system or something, so she might be able to help with his feet. If he was wrong, then she still might be able to do something. After all, according to the announcer and Heather herself, she had been the valedictorian in her class, so she had to be realy smart.
"Well, it's my feet. We've been walking so much and they've started to really hurt," Elmo said, unable to keep from glancing to the rest of the team, worried they'd overhear something.
Heather nodded. "I see. I'll try something if you're okay with it," she said.
Elmo nodded. He might as well let her do whatever she had in mind. Worst he could think would happen was nothing. So, when she put her hand on his shoulder, he didn't resist.
However, a moment later it felt like lighting was coursing through his body. Starting at where Heather was touching him and ending at his feet. It was over in an instant, and while his feet weren't hurting anymore, he had an ache in his entire body that felt like it might be just a little worse than when his feet were hurting.
"Did that help?" Heather asked,
Elmo nodded. "Yeah, my feet down't hurt anymore, but now my entire body is aching," he answered, not sure if there was an easier way to let her know that.
Heather sighed. "Yeah, I'm not sure how to keep from doing that. My tutorial said that it shouldn't happen and doesn't know why, but I'm not sure how much they actually know," she said, sounding a little depressed.
"Don't worry," Elmo replied. "I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out. After all, we're all just learning how to work our own systems. Maybe there's something in the description of your skills that will tell you something that you didn't notice before?"
Heather seemed to think about this for a moment. "Maybe. I'll think about that. Thanks."
"No problem," Elmo replied. "Troubleshooting services are part of the deal with me."
Heather laughed quietly, making Elmo feel more relaxed around her. She opened her mouth to say something, but Kim called back to them.
"If you're going to have fun, why not let the rest of us hear about it?" she called to them. "Or is it you're planning a rendezvous later and don't want any of us to know about it."
Elmo was startled at the implications of what Kim said, though he didn't miss the expression Heather had about the idea of them getting together. He didn't mind that she wasn't interested in him like that. While he wouldn't have minded having a girlfriend, he had someone else in mind first.
"It's not like that!" Heather protested as she returned to the rest of the gorup. "I just was taking care of something that I sensed was wrong with him. It wasn't anything like that."
"Whatever you say," Kim merely replied.
"It wasn't!" Heather insisted, receiving a lught from Kim.
Did Kim really believe that or was she just teasing Heather? Elmo wondered. She sounded like she believed it was, but at the same time, the entertained air she had about her said she was just having fun with it.
Elmo sighed. He never understood people like that and maybe that was why he'd been thought of as painfully shy by the rest of his family. He didn't care to deal with people like that, but almost everyone he knew in his life before this place had pretty much been like that.
So wrapped up in his thoughts, he didn't notice Jonas had fallen back to walk next to him. He also hadn't noticed that he had been falling further behind the group. Though, he wouldn't have been surprised if he had. Partly because he, at least a small part of him, had started thinking about going out on his own.
Not because he was wanting to go by himself, but rather he was feeling like he was a round peg in a square hole. He could fit in with everyone, but it wasn't like he really belonged. Kind of like how he often felt before he was brought here.
"So, were you really planning a rendezvous with Heather?" Jonas asked suddenly, nearly causing Elmo to jump out of his skin. Jonas laughed. "Sorry about that. Didn't mean to startle you."
Elmo sighed. Wondering what torment Jonas was going to give him now. Not because he thought Jonas was that kind of person, but more because that's what he was expecting from anyone at the moment.
"No, we were just talking," Elmo said dispiritedly.
"What problem was she helping you with?" Jonas asked. "Nothing inappropriate, I hope."
Elmo sighed, starting to get depressed at he heard Jonas' teasing. "No, just my feet," Elmo replied, wondering what Jonas was going to say about that.
"Yeah, I can understand your feet hurting," Jonas remarked. "Wish there was another tway we could get around than just walking."
Elmo waited for a minute after Jonas finished talking before letting out his breath. He was more than a little surprised that he hadn't followed up with his teasing
"Would be nice," Elmo muttered. "Doubt we'll get something like that here, though."
Jonas shocked Elmo when he wrapped his arm around Elmo's shoulders and pulled him into a side hug. "Don't be like that. You never know what might occur that will turn out for your good because of a few minor hardships," Jonas chided Elmo.
Elmo sighed, not in the mood for platitudes or anything. "I wouldn't call how my feet were a 'minor hardship,'" Elmo replied, part of him wanting Jonas to let him be by himself while the other part wanted to remain in Jonas' embrace.
Jonas used his free hand to get Elmo to look at him. "You will down the road. What seems like something big at the time, often becomes something you think of as minor later on. Usually the big hardships are ones that can destroy your life completely. You know, like losing your career or something," Jonas said.
"Maybe," Elmo replied looking away from Jonas again, not sure whether or not he really agreed with that, but not really wanting to deal with it either.
"Of course it is," Jonas assured Elmo. "Like this contest thing we're stuck in could probably be considered a big hardship."
Elmo sighed. He wondered if he really would be happier if he hadn't gotten shanghaied into this. After all, he'd only been existing and hadn't even gone out that much. He wondered if anyone there had been interested in him romantically that he hadn't noticed. He certainly hadn't looked at anyone like that. At least not until he saw Jonas.
So, while he was aware of Jonas continuing to talk, he wasn't really hearing what he said. Elmo merely wrapped his arms around Jonas, suddenly not wanting to lose this moment. He also wasn't sure where the rest of their group was, his mind so occupied with Jonas that, Jonas was the only thing he was aware of.
Elmo felt Jonas stop when he wrapped bother of his arms around him and look at Elmo. Elmo lifted his eyes to the older man to see curiosity showing in his expression.
Elmo wasn't sure what possessed him, but he found himself suddenly pressing his lips against Jonas. Maybe it was the heat of the moment or maybe it was his desire to not lose the moment, but right then, he knew that his interest in the other man was certainly getting communicated to him. There were no doubts in Elmo's mind about that.