He found him.
At long last, he found him.
The fight barely started, and yet, Garou couldn't contain his excitement. Before him was the S Class hero Metal Bat. Wounded and bleeding from a previous monster attack. It was just like the last time they met, and the first time they fought. However, Garou knew beyond a shadow of a doubt now. Metal Bat was the one.
Be he couldn't be happier. His smile only grew and grew the more he fought him, the vigour in this one is not to be taken for granted. 'Fighting spirit, can keep going, his strength increases after each blow. And that smell…' Garou thought to himself. Every strike he landed against Bad, pushed more blood from his body. Some even splattered on to Garou. When Bad was down and unable to see, Garou took a moment and lapped up the blood from his fists.
He got chills.
"You have no idea how long I have waited for this." Garou said with a purr in his tone.
"Shut it and fight!" Bad snapped back.
Metal Bat rallied himself once more, taking aim at Garou, yet somehow, the human monster got faster, avoided the strike and landed another stiff blow to Bad. He heard the air forced out of his lungs, he felt his body go limp for but a moment as Garou gently eased him down to the street. "I know that fighting spirit of yours will kick in once more. But let me say this. I'll be back for you." As he stared down at Bad lying on the street, he smiled once more. "The hunt is over." With that, Garou turned and left. He continued to lick the blood from his knuckle and kept peering back towards Bad, smiling with anticipation.
#
His mind pulsed.
Bad felt the fighting spirit fill him once more, his eyes shot open. He got to his feet and ready for war! Yet, he froze. There was no one around him. Garou was gone! "What the hell is this?" he said aloud to himself. He knew it wasn't like Garou to leave in the middle of a fight. No one else was around, his sister wasn't there to interfere and yet, he was gone. Bad knew he was down for a while. Which would have given Garou plenty of time to finish him off, why didn't he? His head was spinning now. With no other danger, Metal Bat retreated and went home.
Zenko was waiting for him. "BAD!" she cheered, but froze. "You're bleeding!"
"Ain't nothing," he said.
Zenko knew what to do, she rushed to the bathroom for the first aid kit, from there she got to work. She cleaned his wounds, and wrapped up her brother. Other than some gashes he appeared no worst for ware. "That monster looks a lot worst than you huh?" she asked.
"Yeah, it does!" he lied, yet in the back of his mind, he knew he got some good shots in on Garou. However it was how he reacted, completely different than the last time, he hardly flinched let alone really put up a fight. It was as if Garou was something else entirely, his movements, his strikes, even the way he talked during the battle. He was excited. Something about it enthralled him.
"Bad?"
"Sorry, what you say little sis?"
"You can't keep this up!" she protested. "What if there comes a time where something is just too strong to defeat? What are you going to do?... what am I going to do?" she asked.
"Whoa, hey, there ain't nothing I can't handle!" he protested. "I got the fighting spirit in me. I will keep going no matter what!"
"That's what I'm afraid of."
Bad turned to his sister. "Zenko, I won't do anything that would have me be taken away from you." He said. "I promise you!"
She stuck out her pinky. "Pinky swear!"
He smiled and took it. "Pinky swear!"
With that, the two ate dinner and had an early night. Bad however wasn't sleeping. He kept thinking back over the fight, the smile on Garou's lips, that look of utter joy when he saw Bad bleeding. He remembered the air getting knocked out of him, and one thing the human monster said. It still haunts his ears.
"The hunt is over."
He remembered the last time he encounter the hero hunter. Just after elder centipede knocked him back, the two brawled, and yet the fight stopped the moment Zenko came between them, he left then. But why did he leave this one? There was no one coming, he clearly had Bad on the ropes, but there was something different about this fight. Garou wasn't aiming to kill him, in fact, he was excited the moment his eyes locked on to Bad, from there… it all became a blur.
Bad kept tossing and turning, until he felt his body suddenly freeze. He couldn't bring himself to move, but then, a sharp pain came to the left side of his neck. His body fell into a deep and sudden relaxed state, his restlessness subsided and a sense of weakness overtook him. His heart began racing in his chest, he could hear it in his own ears as it continued it rapid pace!
He went still, breathing heavily and yet unable to move. Bad woke instantly when he swore he heard Garou's voice in his room, he heard it, clear as a bell. "My perfect match!"
Bad's eyes shot open, his fighting spirit snapped him up and out of the bed. He took in the room and made certain there was no one else within, his heart racing in his chest. Bad was sweating and yet he saw no one. His neck killed though as he slowly eased himself back down on to his bed. Sleep came far easier that time…