Chapter 4: Finding Hope
It had been three days since Seto had gone missing. Ren was growing increasingly worried for her friend, though she didn't show it. She always kept her feelings and emotions locked away so no one could see the pain she was really feeling. It's how she remained so strong during the experiments that the scientists repeatedly performed on her. Ren knew she should be worried for Seto. She knew he could take care of himself. Her gaze kept shifting to the boy who walked behind her. His head was bowed. His feet shuffled, kicking up dusty rocks and debris. He had been silent and on edge for the last three days. He kept his sledgehammer gripped tightly in his fist. Ren kept quiet as she moved for she had an eerie feeling that even the slight sound would set him off.
Suddenly, Ren's accusations were confirmed as a large hot pink plastic ball bounced out in front of them from a nearby alley. Ren hardly had time to react as Kurou, with a menacing glint in his green eyes, ran toward the alley and disappeared around the corner. Ren gave chase after him as she heard a young child cry out.
"Kurou-kun! Stop!"
Without looking at what Kurou was attacking, Ren seized Kurou's arm trying to pull him back from attacking. Unfortunately, she was not as strong as he was. Blinded by regret and rage, Kurou easily threw Ren aside into a nearby rusty trash bin. Dark eyes looked up, trying to regain her composure and balance. Kurou was on a rampage, smashing at every wooden crate in his path. She knew she had to try and calm him. He was going to hurt someone and himself. Ren got back up and grabbed at Kurou's arms only to be flailed back again. "Kurou, Stop!" She screamed but her words didn't reach him. She kept trying, grabbing at his waist, and wrapping her chest around his chest as she tried to hold on to him. She had to do something to calm him again!
"Kurou! Getting made for no reason won't bring Seto back!"
Kurou froze in mid swing with his weapon raised high over his head. His angry green eyes that were slitted like a cat softened instantly. He felt his arms and legs go numb as he fell to his knees. His Sledgehammer had fallen with a heavy thud on the ground in front of him. Ren, who still had her arms around his chest, and her face buried in his back shoulder. She hugged him tighter she could feel his shoulders tremble and quiet sobs escaped from him. She whispered softly, trying to find the right words to comfort him.
"We'll find him Kurou…we can't give up. Seto wouldn't want us to."
Just then, as Kurou's sobs began to lessen, another frightened cry rang out in the
dark shadows of the empty alley. The two looked up and back at each other. Cautiously they approached the rumble of broken wooden crates and toppled trash bins. Their eyes widened in shock as they met with a young child no older than five years old. Big wide blue eyes were shaken with fear as the small body trembled. The boy tried to stop his tremors by folding his legs to his chest. He pressed his back flat against the wall, as if trying to go through it in order to escape from his attacker. His gaze moved cautiously from the older boy to the girl and back again, watching carefully what their next move would be.
Ren wasn't sure if Kurou was stable enough yet to handle the child. She could see the fear in the boys eyes. She knew it well. It was the same fear she constantly hid from the scientists who tested on her. All she wanted to do was cry in a corner but knew she needed to act strong if she was to survive in this world. Slowly she approached the boy so to not startle him, and kneeling down to sit on the haunches of her feet. She stayed quiet and still, waiting for him to make the first move.
The boy stared back at the girl and gradually his features began to calm as he identified her features. She had haunting yet soft and calming eyes. Her thick and wild silver white hair floated with the light breeze around her heart-shaped face. He knew this hair, only one person he knew possessed white hair. A tentative hand reached out and lightly began to pet and stroke the soft white hair. He saw a gentle smile form on the girl's lips as her eyes closed and her head leaned into the hand that was petting her hair. The silver hair was real. This girl then must know him! His Oniisan (1) was always kind to him! She must know Oniisan!
Ren's eyes widened in shock. She did not expect the boy to suddenly launch himself at her, wrapping his small around her in a tight hug!
Kurou watched the scene quietly. He truly admired the girl's patience. She was always hard to anger. When he saw the strange boy jump from his fetal position and tackle hugged Ren, Kurou was ready to help, grabbing the boy by his shoulders and pulling the two apart. The boy's eyes once again welled up with an onslaught of tears as he was pulled away from the girl. He screamed!
"No! Oniichan! I want my Oniichan! Don't take Oniichan away!"
Kurou was annoyed. He didn't understand what the boy was saying. The child was screaming like a spoiled brat and it was pissing him off. The child's arms flailed back and forth. Kurou had a hard time trying to hold on to him at the same time trying to avoid the swipes and kicks from the equaling flailing legs. Kurou grunted in pain through clenched teeth as one of the child's heels impacted with his shin. His fist was clenched. The line had been crossed. He had had enough of the child's incoherent babbling. Kurou hated it. Seto never acted this way.
"Shut up! You damn brat!" Kurou's fist came down hard at the top of the boy's head. The action made the boy bite his tongue as he was in mid-scream.
"Kurou!" Ren rushed to her friend's side taking hold of his fisted arm, her gentle touch trying to soothe his annoyed mind. The two stared at each other for a long moment. The glare in Kurou's green eyes faded. He couldn't stay mad. Was this some kind of spell she was able to do? She must know some kind of magic. The look in her eyes was so alluring. Kurou could swear he was falling into those wide dark pools, drowning.
"What's your name?" Kurou didn't even realize the point at which Ren turned away from him again and knelt down once again to the child's eye level. The child was holding his head and through his sniffles he looked up with wide blue eyes.
"M-my name i-is Riku."
Kurou rolled his eyes at the pathetic crying, however he flinched as he was caught by a warning glare from Ren as she turned her head to look up at him as if to say 'if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all. You're the one who scared him after all." Kurou looked away and Ren looked back at young Riku. She placed a gentle hand on his head, lightly petting his soft thick light brown hair.
"Where are you from? Maybe we can help you?"
Riku, at her words, began to cry a little harder. "I-I was pl-playing and I got lost…I have to find I-Inuk-kashi."
Kurou and Ren gasped looked at each other, almost starstruck. Here was someone whom had entered into their lonely, isolated and decrepit world and also claimed that there were other humans as well! They both gave each other a heartwarming yet sad smile. They knew this is what Seto was looking for. They had to find survivors for him. It was the least they could do after all he had done for them.
The new trio walked along. Young Riku held tightly to Ren's hand as he led them. Kurou followed along a couple of feet behind the two. He was still a little plagued with the guilt that he almost attacked and could have killed someone, all because he lost control of his emotions. His fist gripped tightly at his weapon as it swung casually at his side. Seto would never forgive him.
Riku looked around, his blue eyes on the verge of tears. He couldn't find anything that looked familiar to him. No one was around that he recognized. He tried to run, desperate to find someone, however, he was restricted in his movements not wanting to let go of Ren's hand, and lose Oniisan again as well.
As they walked amongst the abandoned homes and the congestion of rubble, Kurou couldn't help but keep his guard up as he quickened his pace to stay merely two strides ahead of Ren and Riku. Cat like green eyes narrowed as they watched the shadows of the rotting buildings. It was unsettling. He could swear he heard growling from the darkness. He had just passed a seemingly collapsed tool shed when suddenly a dark form burst forth from the rubble and launched at Ren and Riku. Kurou was quick to act however, jumping back. He threw up his spear (he had switched it out because his old Sledgehammer had broken) and the large animal chopped it's teeth on the weapon, biting hard. Kurou, with strength on his side, smirked as he lifted the spear up with the animal attached and slammed the beast into the dirt. Kurou didn't notice several more dogs starting to enclose quickly around them. Ren cried out, "Kurou behind you!" But it was too late. Kurou didn't have time to turn his head as two more dogs threw themselves at Kurou, pushing him off the first dog. Kurou lost his grip on his weapon. He threw up his arms in defense as the dog bit into his forearm. Kurou clenched his teeth to choke back a painful scream as blood gushed forth from the fresh wound.
Ren tried to shield Riku as the dogs in the pack began to surround them. She cast a worried gaze toward Kurou as now three dogs jumped upon him, their claws and teeth scratching and biting at his skin. Ren wanted to help him as she went to grab the spear that was flung from Kurou's hands and now, half chewed in the middle but still usable, lay only a few feet from her. Unfortunately, she and Riku were surrounded. Ren knew not to panic and to remain calm for animals always could smell fear, but the fear within her was becoming too great. Tears began to well up and glisten against the sunlight in her wide dark opal eyes. She was afraid.
"Molly-sama!"
That one word was like magic. Ren looked around and noticed that all the dogs, even the ones attacked Kurou had stopped and stepped back, not retreating but giving enough room to put their prey at ease a little. Just then, Riku dashed in front of Ren, a smile plastered on his face. He raced up and threw his arms around the neck of one of the dogs, a reddish brown haired Labrador, which had stepped forward from the other dogs like she was the alpha of the pack. The dog whimpered as her ears relaxed. "Molly! I missed you, I'm sorry we got separated, I won't run off again, I promise!" Riku buried his face in the dog's neck, drying his tears in her fur.
The alpha dog nudged the boy to put him at ease but also to push him behind her slightly with a protective air as she stepped confidently toward Ren, who was stiff and nervous but forced herself not to shudder back. Kurou tried to get up to help but cringed and fell to his knees, weak from the great loss of blood that he suffered from the scratches and bites. "R-Ren!"
Her eyes were calm as she stared at the dog and the dog stared back. Ren knelt down to the dog's level, as equals. The dog sniffed her, memorizing her scent. Leaning forward the dog licked her cheek, surprising Ren and making her flinch. Did this dog know her? But how? They had never met before.
The alpha dog stepped back and turned to the rest of the pack and gave a couple commanding barks and yips. The others howled their response and turned away to assumingly go home. The three dogs that had attacked Kurou approached him again and licked at his wounds making him flinch, startled. Molly turned and started to trot down the path, only turning back and nodding her head, urging the others to follow. Riku understood and grabbed Ren's hand.
"Come Oniisan! She can take us to see Inukashi!"
Ren, not knowing what to do, allowed herself to be pulled while at the same time looked back, worried for her friend Kurou. She could see one of the dogs that attacked him tugging him forward by his sleeve while another nudged him from behind, telling him to keep walking even though he was tired and hurt. Kurou wanted to rest and thankfully the third dog was walking at his side, keeping him from collapsing. Kurou and Ren locked eyes with each other. Where were these dogs leading them? Who was this Inukashi? And most importantly, will they be able to find Seto again?
TBC
Yes! I am not dead! And neither is this story, I just have had no time to write or type anything! I need to though, I have so many unfinished works buzzing through my head as we speak! Ugh I have a migraine! I am sorry for the delay, the reason this is so short and later than I expected it is because of a botch on my part and I accidently deleted part of what I had already written (about a third of it) and I had to start over again. However…now that that hurdle has been jumped…also I apologize it is not as long as my other chapters, but as a romance writer I am not one for writing action scenes, and I think was lacking a little something in this...maybe I just need to play through the game once more, or maybe I need to watch no. 6 again...for the fifth time...
I just had to get at least this chapter up, because well. I wanted to celebrate this day as my little sister's 21's birthday, or she would be 21…*sigh*
Also I am letting you all know this story is now going to be a slight crossover with another Anime, one called No. 6. I love it so much, and I just think that a Ren, could very well be the love child of two certain unspoken lovers in that series. I'm just saying…
Please I hope you stay with me, as this slowing story will hopefully pick up a little as I will try to update a little more quickly! Emphasis on try!
Until next time
Danica Loy
