Hi everyone! Well, first story up on here, so I wanted to introduce myself. I'm Autumn. I hope you all have been able to find this story, even if it wasn't to your liking, I tried to write it as best as I could. Seeing as you ARE here, I must say: THANK YOU! X3 now, onto my disclaimer!
Disclaimer: I do not hold any rights to any characters, the whole series, or any other things used in this story, nor do I gain monetary value. The only things I own are OC's that I list as mine, the plot bunnies that thought of this, and the writing implaments I used to create this. I said it bunnies! Now give me my cookies, dammit!
-Break line fails me T.T-
Seto was restless. The kind where sleep just evaded you at all costs. Above him the stars danced along the inky expanse of the sky, the moon big and silver with it's comforting rays. Here he was, laying in the shredded remains of what was once a very durable sleeping bag, the bonfire close by having enough wood to go through the morning, staring up at the sky as his body begged for sleep, but his mind wouldn't let him. With a tired sigh, he sat up, looking around his environment once again. It once used to be part of a small market place, where there were people to and fro in search of fresh food for them and families. Now it was in shambles, the stalls had rotted away, the banners torn from the wind and rain, and broken glass and other items lay scattered. A sad scene indeed it was.
Deciding that sleep wouldn't see him tonight, he decided to go in search of something, or someone, to occupy his time, until his mind calmed. With his satchel placed on his back and his red canister he used as his suitcase on as well, he left the fire going to light his way back, and pulled out a broom, not wishing to be ambushed by any of the restless spirits still about at this time of the night.
Combing around the place, Seto could only find more good wood for the bonfire and a small, unidentified object that his flashlight had glinted on. Picking it up, he felt that it was small, cool, and possibly metal, but he couldn't be certain. Pocketing it for later, he continued to walk around, ears open and his flashlight moving to and fro in search of anything. A sudden noise of some rotting wood crumbling made him jump and turn around in surprise, half of him expecting to see that a stall had finally fallen apart, and another expecting a person to be there. His flashlight caught the flash of white as it darted to his left, and he turned to follow it, finally stopping on a young woman in a dingy, white lab coat, a pair of dirty gray trousers, an oversized black shirt that had an advertisement for some band, and a small basket in her hands.
"Wha-" he started, surprised to see someone else, but also with the fact she trembled severely, the basket of food nearly falling from her hands from her tremors, as she looked through the mangy curtain of her dark red hair. "What are you doing out here, ma'am?" He asked her, seeing she was several years older than him, and without a weapon as well. She shivered again as he lowered the flashlight beam a bit, and she looked around. "Lookin' for food..." she said, her head still darting around. Though it was another surviving human like him, Seto knew she was very scared, weak, and possibly unsure. With his mind made up, Seto slowly stepped forward and extended a hand. "I can help you, ma'am. I have food and a fire. Won't you please come?" He asked her gently, hoping to coax her into getting better.
She seemed hesitate, like everything was a dream, before one of her hands extended out and grasped his, showing to both of them that it was real, not a dream. Gripping it tightly, she nodded, giving a small smile as she lifted her head a bit higher. "Please.." She started, slightly raspy from lack of use, but it probably would have sounded a lot like a stern teacher in a room of rowdy students if she was back to herself. "Please... don't be a hallucination. I don't want you to be something of my mind." She begged as he led her back to his fire, hand in hand to keep her from getting lost, and to assure her that she was still awake.
"Of course I'm real. If I wasn't, would I be holding your hand to bring you to my campsite?" Seto asked the teacher, who had a pondering look on her face before shrugging some. Within minutes, they were back in front of the fire, and he could see her up close. She once would have looked beautiful, but the years had worn her down, leaving her hair a tattered mess, brown eyes dull without anyone to teach what she knew, and her stomach rounding out now that he could see her clearly. Keeping his questions to himself, Seto started to unpack what he had for food and set it out. 3 cans of tuna, 5 old instant lunches, 2 half empty vitamin bottles, and a bottle of water. The young woman had another bottle of water, one can of tuna, an energy drink, and a full bottle of vitamins. Not a lot to keep her going had he not found her. She hesitantly reached for one of the instant lunches and he nodded, smiling to keep her comfortable. With the force of a ravenous lion, she tore open the packaging and ate every bite inside, not even wasting the crumbs, to gain some form of sustenance in her body that she craved.
Finally she stopped eating after the second can of tuna and looked at the mess she made, and flushed in shame. Seto just chuckled before eating one of the instant lunch packages himself. "I'm Seto," He said, extending his hand and smiling around the forkful of... food, in his mouth. The young woman looked at his hand again before grasping it. "Chitose is my name," She said, smiling some again before pulling back her hand, and resting it on her large stomach. Now many would call Seto naïve, dumb, sheltered, and other things that said he didn't know what was going on, but he knew some things because of his grandfather's library... but he was stumped here. Why was her stomach so big? Did she eat a whole person or a dog and her stomach expanded just to fit them? Chitose seemed to have caught his inquisitive look at her rounded stomach and gave a small laugh.
"I'm having a baby, Seto-kun," she told him, seeing his eyes widen in innocent wonderment at that before he frowned. "But... don't babies come from the stork?" He asked her, wondering why the baby was inside her instead of in a basket on a doorstep, like his Grandfather told him would happen. Chitose just laughed again at his question. "Babies aren't around that way, Seto-kun, but I think I'll teach you that lesson some other day." She stared at the flames, before grabbing another log from the pile she leaned against and tossed it in, watching the embers dance in the air for a moment and then they blinked out from the cold, night air.
It was quiet again between the two, the flames crackling merrily between them, disturbing the silence that fell over them. Chitose continued to sip at her water, staring at the flames that hungrily licked at the wood, trying to will itself to be alive. She jumped, gaining Seto's attention as she rubbed her protruding belly, and smiled fondly. With the curiosity of someone younger than him, Seto drew closer to her at her motioning and she took his hand and placed it at a certain spot on her round stomach and held it there. He was confused, wondering why she was doing this, but his question was silenced before it began when he felt a hard tap on his palm. He felt his jaw slacken as he put his other hand on her stomach, wanting to feel it again and he felt another tap against his palms, even stronger than the last. Chitose gave another one of her laughs as she watched his fascination expand even more on his face.
"He wanted to greet you, and I don't blame him, seeing as you helped me," she said, a soft look on her face as they continued to feel the unborn child play around inside her. After minutes of laughter and wonderment, the child stilled and Seto pulled his hands away, his smile still upon his face. Chitose just gave another fond smile before she yawned, causing the young man to do the same. Finally, sleep came to him. Without another thought, he handed Chitose the sleeping bag, startling her at his second act of kindness before she grabbed him by his long jacket and pulled him close to her side, and draped it over both of them.
"A little closeness to ward off sickness is a better idea, Seto-kun," she told him, easing herself a bit more against the pile of wood she leaned against. Seto was a bit baffled but it was warmer. Finding the warmth comfortable, he found his eyes drifting close, sleep overtaking him in an instant. Chitose gave another smile, feeding more logs into the fire, before she too drifted into some well-deserved sleep. More talking would be made when the sun was high in the sky and they ate some more. She knew she had maybe a month left, before the duo became a trio.
-another break line-
Morning came late, but ever so brightly, the sun shining mercilessly on the Earth below. Seto blinked his eyes open, seeing that the sun cast above them, and the bon fire had burnt itself out onto the barren ground, leaving only the crumbling ash remains of the fire wood. Lifting his head from Chitose's side, he saw she was still sleeping. Smiling, the teenager peeled himself from her form, moving the remains of the sleeping bag to cover only her, Seto stood and stretched himself towards the sky, releasing any kinks and tension from his muscles of the previous days past, and looked around. The abandoned market place was still deserted, no wild dogs were around to fight for food, no birds either, or any of the spirits that he's constantly confronted on his journey.
One last look at Chitose, and he started to go search for more food. They were going to need as much of it as they can. Once again he was looking through the old shops and stalls, hoping to spot something that could be used as food. Finding almost nothing save for a can of cat food, Seto sighed and just sat on the ground, feeling depressed at the fact he found absolutely nothing for them to eat in any of the stores and stands. A meow caught his attention and he turned, seeing a calico cat standing a few feet away, eying him warily for fear of being caught. Seto watched the cat for a moment, before he looked at the cat food in his hands. Opening the can, he noticed the cat's nose twitching at the smell. Turning to look at the cat fully, Seto knelt, holding the can out, the lid off, and waited for the cat.
Slowly the cat came closer, looking from him to the can of food in his hand. With another step and look at the teenager, the cat started to hungrily eat from the can, not wanting to leave a single bit behind in it's quest for a full belly. With the can empty, the cat walked closer and wound itself around his leg, purring happily. With a small smile, Seto scratched along its ears, eliciting more loud purrs from the feline. Seeing that he spent several minutes here, just petting and talking nonsense to the cat, Seto stood and looked down at the calico, smiling before he beckoned it to follow as he headed back to the base.
Seto arrived to see Chitose was eating another instant lunch, everything folded neatly and put aside. Smiling, Chitose swallowed what she had in her mouth before greeting him warmly. "A good morning to you too, Chitose," he greeted back, sighing as he sat down, the cat sitting next to him and rubbing its head along his knee, wanting to be petted more like earlier. Chuckling, Seto obliged, his hands gently scratching along the ears and under the chin of the feline, feeling it purr happily in response to the attentions it was receiving. He didn't blame it, having very little contact with a person to give it such love it now received without complaint.
"You seem to attract cats just by giving them love," Chitose commented, smiling around her plastic fork all the while. Seto flushed a bit, not having been complimented on anything for a while, not since Sai and Ren left several weeks before. The cat seemed to deem itself 'petted out' and looked at the two, trying to understand the nonsense they randomly babbled about. By the time they were done, Chitose was reduced to tears of laughter and Seto was flushed as well from his own laughter.
"I haven't had that good of a laugh since back in the days where I taught at the University," she said, wiping the tears from her face with her hand, still smiling happily. Hearing this, Seto quirked his head in curiosity, wondering what a 'University' was. Seeing the question in his eyes, Chitose smiled again and rubbed soothing circles on her stomach, thinking back to her teaching days.
"I used to be a teacher. Had a room full of young students wanting to learn all about the advance sciences that I housed in my head. From chemical reactions to how certain things in the body worked, from how the Earth gave life and how nature worked against us. I taught all of them what they wanted to learn..." she trailed off, obviously going back to when she was younger. Shaking herself out of her memories, she slowly pulled herself onto her hands and knees, making to get up, only to find that she was unable to. With a sheepish smile, she held a hand out and he stood up hurriedly to help her stand up.
"Sometimes a baby can get in the way of getting up and down," she said jokingly, standing up tall once more, being a good couple inches higher than Seto. Seto didn't know how to reply to that before sighing again. "There's no more food here," he started, looking at the ruins again as he pulled everything back onto his person. "Then we find another place," Chitose retaliated, looking off to the north. He looked in the direction and saw a large, dome-like building. "That's the University that I worked at, before Glass Cage Project." Seto looked at it for a moment before nodding. "Then that's where we'll go." He said, giving a smile to the soon-to-be mother before they headed out, the cat at their heels, goal in sight.
"Already dark," Chitose said, sitting down on the cracked, concrete steps for a rest. Seto did the same, holding his now broken Shinai in one hand and his Hi-beam flashlight in the other. They came across a pack of wild dogs on their way and with Chitose really having no weapons on her, nor anytime to dig another out, Seto fought the pack as hard as he could, finally making them back off. Just in time for his weapon to break. Sitting there for a bit longer, Seto looked behind him to the double doors, though they were now broken and rusted from the years of no upkeep, to see it was dark inside, barely any light to use other than his flashlight. Pulling himself up, he helped the teacher onto her feet and they stared for a moment, unsure if they wanted to go in now or later. It was answered by the loud growls from twin stomachs that they should go in.
"Oh wait! I should get you a weapon!" Seto said, just before they walked in. Setting down his large suitcase, he rifled through it before coming up with a long bow in his hands. "Will this work?" He questioned. Taking the old bow in her hands, Chitose tested it out by pulling on the string and listening it twang, before nodding. Seto pulled out a pole from his suitcase and then reset things back in place. With everything set, the two nodded and headed inside.
Their footsteps were loud compared to the stillness of the place. Seto could see flyers for sporting events, supporting certain projects, and club announcements. Door by door they passed, each room having the door warped from the years or the glass covered in so thick of dust it was like a sludge of gray. Chitose directed them to turn right, the path still clear but the hairs on Seto's neck were standing up. Without hesitation, he moved forward with caution, his flashlight moving back and forth on his utility belt, both hands on his weapon. He heard Chitose tighten her grip on the Longbow, ready to fire at any enemies they encountered.
Just halfway through the hall, he heard it. The voices of kids his age, calling out about their presence. Searching around, his flashlight caught a bit of a ghostly leg running by, the giggling surrounding them. Spinning around, he caught sight of 3 ghostly legs and he waited before he struck as it came close. Chitose fired at another, having knocked an arrow before hand, and with that single shot the spirit faded into nothingness. Seto also sent the one he chose to dismiss from this plane into the next life, but he could still hear them calling, and he panned around again, spotting three more, with one running towards him. Without thinking, he blocked the attack and swung again, before his pole broke in half. What joy, he thought to himself before he swung again at the last one, seeing Chitose took care of the second already.
Panting from the adrenaline rush they had, the two listened closely for any more sounds. The giggling had stopped and all was quiet in the old building once more. Looking at the broken pole, Seto debated on keeping it as two or just tossing it. One look at Chitose's trembling and he knew he couldn't just get rid of them right away. Taking her hand, he gently smiled and they started to walk once more. Finally they turned to another set of double doors but they were locked.
"Hold on. I have a key," Chitose said, pulling out from the pocket of her dingy white coat a little card, about the size of his hand, and she swiped it through. There was a countdown beep before what he assumed was a 'clear' sound and then the doors clicked loudly. Smiling, Chitose pushed on the doors and they gave away easily at the motion. They walked in, and Seto could only stare at the large, empty space that had tables upon tables everywhere, covered in the same thick layer of dust as were on the windows to the doors. Walking forward, Chitose dragged her hands along the table tops, collecting dust as she relived her own memories.
She finally looked up and tensed, her bow ready. Sensing something was amiss, Seto came up close and heard it. A Sobbing Woman. Without another thought, Seto spun his flashlight around, spotting just where the blue spirit woman was, her back turned. That didn't make her any less of a danger though, as she started after them, though she followed the flashlight more than anything else. Deciding to lead her away from the pregnant woman, Seto dodged her attempts at impaling him on her spikes. After the chase, Sobbing Woman came to a stop, seemingly exhausted, before floating down. Already knocking an arrow, Chitose fired just as the eye on her back opened and Seto pushed it in deeper with a swing of his broken poles. With an agonizing wail, she faded as well, the arrow falling to the ground. Waiting and listening, the two could only hope that it was the only one in this room. Silence greeted them and ever slowly they relaxed.
"What is this room?" Seto asked, looking around to try and understand where he was. "The cafeteria. It was the only place we could eat in this whole school. And back there," she paused, looking over to the back with a long line of counters that had glass displays, which now were shattered to only shards hanging on them metal siding. "Is the kitchens. There has to be more food there." She said, giving a smile as she started to do her waddle/walk as fast as she could, the thought of there being more food other than Tuna and Old Instant Lunches making Seto's mouth water as he followed, his light making a path for them to see.
Heaving her weight against the rusted metal door, Chitose could only get a few more inches worth open before Seto came and helped, widening it enough for a large red wagon, or something bigger, to get through if needed for carrying more stuff. Looking around, Seto could only guess at the names of some of these things around what he assumed was the 'Kitchen' as Chitose called it. Said woman was busy riffling through a really large, metal cupboard that opened by two large doors, waves of coolness rushing from it as a little lightbulb on each side was on. She grabbed a small little block of a pale orange and yellow covered in tight plastic, before ripping it open and taking a bite from the corner, looking ready to melt standing.
"I haven't had Cheese in years. And I doubt you ever had any," she said, turning to look at the brunette and holding it out for him. Hesitantly, he took it in his hands, looking at it curiously, before taking a tentative bite at the other corner. He found himself liking it instantly and it took a lot to not just eat all of it in large bites. He took another two more bites and gave it back to her, deciding to look around some more. He saw another tall metal machine to the right, and moved towards it, seeing strange dials all around that read pretty high numbers, he decided to leave those alone (He didn't know what it can make happen!) and grasped the cold, metal handles and opened it, revealing several metal racks that went from his pelvis up past his head by a good foot. He looked at it a bit longer before he closed it, Chitose setting out some random things from the cool box ('I think it's a fridge' he said to himself) that he suppose were stuff to eat, and wandered over to another door, which was much colder than whatever Chitose was at.
Looking for a handle, Seto grasped it and tugged, the handle creaking loudly but it moved towards him, like it had a door hinge or something, and the old, rusty hinges on the large, metal door creaked as well, trying so hard to move but they just could only do so much. Letting go, Seto looked and found it only moved barely half an inch. A depressed sigh left him at the thought of being so weak and unable to move such a door.
"If only Crow was here..." he mumbled, looking at the metal door sadly before he felt a warm, round 'ball' pressing against the middle of his back lightly. Looking behind him, he saw Chitose, who had a curious look on her face. She asked, "Who's Crow?" in that curious voice of hers, wanting to know so badly that it hurt, but also wondering if it was alright to ask such a thing. Seto gave a small smile, remembering all about Crow and his crazy antics.
"He... He was my best friend..." He said, looking down at his locket sadly, where he kept the ring that he was given for a present by the cat-eyed Doll... Robot... Boy. The memory of Crow kissing him still fresh in his mind, even after several weeks. It was a warmth, other than food, he wasn't accustomed to but... he liked. Chitose had a smile on her face again, though somehow it seemed like she was saying: "I know something you don't" with that grin before she reached out and ruffled his fluffy brown hair, making him cringe to remove himself from her offending motions at messing with his brown locks.
"He died though.. huh?" She questioned softly, a sad look crossing her face in replacement of the knowing one she had, and he nodded. "Yeah... he said his battery had run out and I..." he trailed off, not really knowing what else to say than that. Chitose raised an eyebrow, her thought whirling but he couldn't tell where they were leading.
"So he's a D.O.L.L., right?" She wondered, directing the question to him. Confused, Seto nodded in answer. He suddenly felt her hand come up and smack him upside the head. "H-Hey! What was that for?" He exclaimed, holding the spot in shock. "You dummy! All you had to do was replace the old battery with a new one! If there were other D.O.L.L.'s around, then you could have just switched the batteries around." Blinking, Seto looked down for a moment, thinking himself, before smacking his forehead. "I feel so stupid..." "It could be worse. You didn't bury him really deep, or at all, right?" He nodded and Chitose smiled, like she was a cat that got some kind of mouse to eat.
"Then all you have to do is go to where he is, and switch out the batteries with a new one. Think you can handle going alone?" She finished with a question, leaning against the large, metallic counter for what he assumed was rest. Curiously, he nodded at her question. "Good, because I'm having a hard time moving about as it is." Laughing quietly, Seto nodded. Crow coming back... Crow can come back! The thought made his insides feel warm and fuzzy, his heart to beat faster, and the urge to just jump up and down in joy.
"Now come one. I need you to carry a few things to a room I know. I can only carry so much." She said, grabbing a handful of items and putting them in her basket. Seto grabbed the rest, placing it in his fish tin and then holding a box of 'crackers' (that's just what it said on the side) in his hand. With a nod and his flashlight out once more, the two headed back to the hallways, Chitose once again leading the way around this large place.
Coming upon another set of double doors, Chitose opened it with the same key card and slowly the doors seemed to unlock themselves. Pushing them, the duo found themselves in the library. The shelves stood higher than the young teen thought they ever could. Dust was everywhere as well, but Chitose pressed on, heading for a door off to the side and Seto had to jog to keep up with her frantic movements. Another card swipe, and they found themselves in a gathering room of some sorts. Seto watched as she eased herself onto one of the seats, looking around again like she was in a daze, and then turned to him.
"Welcome to the teachers lounge. Or it used to be when there was more than just me here," she stated, a sad smile crossing her face before she motioned to the little table in front of all the seats. "You can set everything there, and keep whatever you want for your journey," she explained, setting her feet up on the edge of the table and then giving a pleased sigh. Odd, but he would do what she said. Placing the items from his Fish tin on the table, Seto looked at all of them curiously before picking up a box that said: "Rice Cakes," and a small round tin that rattled when shook.
"Hope your journey keeps you safe, Seto-kun," Chitose said, having a strange look on her face that Seto could read. With a smile, he nodded and pulled out his flashlight and a pipe. With a parting glance, Seto set out towards the Dam, where he left Crow. He just hoped that he could still make it within a couple of days, before Chitose had gone mad from being alone again, or she was taken by the spirits that still wandered in the old building.