Ren was falling from a legde. He called out. He tried to be brave. He knew if he didn't die, he would probably be crippled for life. Closing his eyes and bracing himself, he prepared to feel pain. But instead, something had caught him. A large hand had broken the boys fall. Ren had looked up, to find himself in a Bakugans gaze. He started to scoot back a little while making scared noises. "What's your name?" The voice was surprisingly gentle. "R-ren. My name is Ren" "Well Ren, I'm Linehalt" Another hand reached out to pat the boys head. Strangely comforted by this, the boy had calmed down. He could trust Linehalt. He wasn't scared anymore. -
Ren, now a little older, was sitting on Linehalt's shoulder. He had nearly forgotten why he was scared of the Bakugan in the first place. He saw a little light. Curious, he thought he was imagining things. But he wanted to make sure. "Linehalt, what's that?" He said pointing to the yellow light. "It's a firefly Ren. I didn't know you could find them in a place like this." "If they can live down here, do you think we could live up there?" Ren spoke with desire in his voice. He wanted to see the light. Linehalt heard this desire, and knew what it was like.
Ren was sleeping. Linehalt was always careful with the boy, especially when he was sleeping. Knowing he could accidentally crush the boy, he had to careful. Taking a closer look, he noticed the boy was shivering. It has been getting a little colder. He thought to himself. Gently picking Ren up, he was thinking of how the boy was possible of living down here without any humans. "He's so small" Linehalt mused quietly to himself. Rubbing Ren's back, he understood how light would brighten up their lives- literally. He remembered the first time he had seen Ren bleed. He had tried to jump over the Bakugans knee, tripped, and ended up scraping both his knees and right elbow. Linehalt had asked if he was okay, and Ren said yes. So when the white haired boy stood up, his friend had been a little surprised. He had watched Ren wipe away the blood, and try to act like nothing had happened. His eyes were the slightest bit misty, but that was quickly over with. Linehalt had been surprised how quickly the kid had recovered from tripping. He knew that the raven haired Ren would be strong- even when he was sleeping.
Linehalt remembered the first time he ever laid a finger on the boy with the intention of hurting him. Granted he wasn't trying to kill Ren, he was going to hurt him. The Bakugan was kind, but he didn't want to see Ren get hurt. His friend had been trying to cut himself with a rock. "Ren.. What are you doing?" The raven-haired boy had jumped, not knowing Linehalt was watching. "Cutting myself." If he wouldn't have been worried, the Bakugan would have laughed at the bluntness in Ren's voice. "Stop. You're going to hurt yourself Ren." "I'm trying to." Linehalt was taken aback by this statement. He had noticed the Gundalian seemingly getting depressed. The boy continued to scratch himself himself with the rock, to no avail. His friend had lifted him off the ground, pulled the rock from his hand, and enclosed the boy in both of his hands. Linehalt let his fingers open gently to make sure the boy was okay. "Ren..." That was all Linehalt said. He gently, yet firmly, curled his fingers around Ren. He had been told what to do if the Gundalian tried to do anything like this. Tugging Ren's pant down, he had began to tap the boy's bottom. Tapping it firmly, he knew that he could easily break bones if he wasn't careful. Ren had been so surprised by what was happening, he had no time to react. He had several tears slipping out of his eyes. He was able to squirm, but the second he had a chance of slipping from his friends grip, the grasp would tighten. Being swatted, Ren knew how much it hurt. It had happened before. He would be belted and caned for different reasons, by different people. He bled once, and the man who had belted him had to pay a fine. But Ren never got comfort. With his now magenta bottom stinging horribly, tears were rushing down his face. He could only grip part of Linehalt's thumb, and sob. "Linehalt... I'm sorry!" Figuring the boy had enough, he let his friend lay face down in his palm. Stroking the Gundalian's back, he had given the boy what he needed for a long time: comfort. So simple, yet so complicated. Feeling his back being rubbed gently, Ren easily relaxed. "Shh. It's okay Ren. Don't try to hurt yourself again." The white haired boy simply nodded, and waited for the pain to drift away. He was safe in his friends hand.