-Chapter 7-

"You little fox. You liked me all along, didn't you?" Darien said after Serena had let herself down again.

"No. At first I thought you were nothing more than a fartface." she answered.

"Well... That's a nice thought to have, coming from the person you've just finished kissing."

Serena waved her tail in his face. "It's also a thank-you kiss. For this."

"The blue ribbon?"

"Yeah. I'm lucky to have this."

"Guess you're lucky to have me then, huh?"

"Dunno. I'm still pretty fuzzy on whether you're right for me or not. You might just be my fantasies for all I know."

"That's harsh."

"Get used to it, bud."

"Why're you like that?"

"Like what?"

"That attitude. Not very ladylike."

"Again, get used to it."

He chuckled. "You know, I still have another promise to keep."

"Hm? What's that?"

"I said one day I'd take you inside the arcade. And just your luck, your tree is right by it."

"I don't think I've ever been inside the arcade before."

"When you're strong enough, we'll go together."

Serena forced herself up. "I'm not as weak as a human! I'm stronger than I look!"

"As you wish..." He knew better than to not agree with her.

Andrew greeted with the normal, "Hello! Welcome to Crown Arcade! Can I get you anything today?" But then he looked up and a look of horror struck his face.

"Ya. Black coffee. Same as usual." Darien answered. Then he turned to the girl he called Serena, "You want anything?"

"Tsah! No thanks! I'm fine!"

"D-Darien!" Andrew whispered as he set the black coffee on the counter. Although, it sounded more like hissing than whispering... "Why?"

"Why what?" Darien whispered right back.

"I-I can't have her in here! You know how well-known she is around here? For mauling people?!"

"I promised her I'd take her here. She's actually not mauled anyone. She's protected me."

"FROM WHAT?!"

"A bear... And you just yelled. Yet you're the one telling me to keep it down?"

"Darien, she came, she saw, now she has to go."

"But I thought you want to help her."

"I do! I really do! But look at her! She's not meant to be inside buildings. And, on top of that, it'll scare away all my customers."

Darien turned to look at his beloved Serena. Her ears were layed back and her fangs were clearly showing. She didn't trust anyone.

"Relax. She's just got to warm up to you. She has a bad reputation due to her looks. People consider her a freak, Andrew. But I got to know her, and she's amazing!"

"A-Amazing?! Darien, as much as I want to help her... I just can't."

"Why? Because she's got wierd looks?!"

Serena overheard this. 'Wierd looks...?' she thought. Her gorgeous blue eyes widened. Was this what he thought of her as? And after he'd stolen her first kiss, too... All those promises...

"No! Well... Yes... I'm scared of her, too, you know! She's a freak, I admit it..."

"Yeah, well... She's a freak, sure! But does that give you the right to hurt her?"

"Why're you so protective of her, anyways?"

"Huh?! W-Well... I'm not!"

"Are you sure she doesn't mean anything to you?"

"Sh-She... Is... She doesn't mean anything! Nope! Nothing at all!"

Serena overheard this, too. That was enough. She wouldn't hear anymore of this... This... These heart-breaking words.

Andrew and Darien heard the bell ring. (There's sometimes a bell that hangs over the door to alert people of a person walking in or out of the building.)

Darien looked to find a blue ribbon, just like the one he'd given Serena, laying on the ground in front of the door. He picked it up. It had a tiny little red splotch on it. Serena...

Outside, Serena was struggling just to move. She was leaning against the wall of the arcade. All those promises he made... Meant nothing. All those words he said... Meant nothing. All those compliments he gave her... Meant nothing. That bow... Was now nothing more than a painful memory. So it must be left behind.

Her parents. Wasn't that the only reason she'd stayed in this aweful dump? The sole reason she was here. Her parents. They'd undoubtedly come back for her! Right? She couldn't go searching for them, for fear of them coming back to find out she was missing.

Blood pools were forming as badages were being ripped off. Anything that reminded her of him had to go. Everything that had his scent on it... Everything that resembled him... And she had to leave this place. At least near the arcade. She'd go to a different part of town. All in her efforts to avoid the inevitable. Him.