Disclaimer: I don't own Monster Allergy
"Huh? A Gaiga-Monster? Honestly, you can't-... What? A No-Name? I thought we had-... I'll be right there."
Zick sighed and halted his pacing, running a hand through his hair as he pocketed his cellphone. Elena watched him from the couch with dread in her eyes. She knew what he was going to say next.
"Teddy and Lay need help, I have to go."
"It's been a year since we first faced the Gaiga-Monsters, and they've only become stronger. Surely they can handle it themselves?"
True, but while in a year all of the Tamers had been honing their skills, Zick had also finally mustered up the courage to ask Elena out. Since then, they both had become fiercely protective of each other to the point that Zick only took her with him when he knew the danger wasn't that great, and Elena tried to stop him from going out to fight monsters each and every time unless he allowed her to come with him.
"Elena, we had trouble fighting the No-Name a year ago when it was six of us against it." Zick's voice adopted a hint of exasperation. He loved Elena, but she could be so tiresome at times.
"Six?" Elena asked. Zick beamed at her.
"Never could've defeated it without you. Anyways, there's only half that force this time, that is if I get there in time. Teddy and Lay can't fight it alone."
"But... I don't want to see you hurt, Zick." She refused to meet his eyes and look at her feet, crossing her arms. Zick dropped to a crouch in front of her. He placed a finger under her chin and gently forced her gaze up so they were eye-to-eye.
"Look, I've fought monster hundreds of times. I have tons of experience, more than my dad can say he had at my age." This earned a small smile from the redhead. Zick smirked as he saw this. Confidence entered his voice as he continued. "I won't get hurt. I promise I'll be okay."
"That's a promise that's hard to keep, Zick. Don't say words that don't have meaning behind them." All traces of amusement were gone now. She wasn't joking around.
"But I will be fine. I'll come back uninjured, and forget all about the fight tomorrow."
"Then let me come with you."
Zick scowled and stood. He studied his girlfriend's face with a grave expression before sighing again and turning his back to her.
"No. I'll be fine, but I don't want you there."
"So you're lying. You don't know if you'll be hurt or not."
"...I won't get hurt. I'm going, you're staying. That's how it's going to be whether you like it or not."
With that, Zick walked out the door and didn't look back. Elena's head dropped into her hands and wept softly.
"Elena! Zick's parents are at the door!"
Elena slowly descended the stairs as she head he mother call out, doing the math in her head. Zick refusing to let her come along, leaving to fight a No-Name alongside Teddy and Zick with less firepower than before, never coming back to show her that he hadn't gotten too banged up, and his parents at the door.
Her heart dropped down to her stomach.
She arrived at the door to face two depressed adults. Zob seemed to be looking through the wall of her house and Greta's eyes held an unmeasurable amount of sorrow and worry. Elena allowed her face fall to reveal her own pain.
"Elena... Zick didn't... He isn't..." Greta choked, sobs breaking up the words. Her husband held her tightly, his own tears starting up again.
"He, uh... He didn't... come back... from the fight." Zob managed.
Elena sank to the ground as the grieving couple left her wallow in her feelings in private.
"You... You promised me, Zick..."