Author's Note: Geez, it's been such a long time since I made an update! I'm very sorry, everyone - but now, I'm happy to present to you the next chapter of Shattered! Unfortunately, this is a short filler chapter rather than being a full-scale one as my others have been. Nevertheless, the events in this chapter are crucial to the storyline. Enjoy X3
- CHAPTER 9 -
A Sister's Worry
"Pirika, I'm sure there's nothing to worry about," Yoh said, as relaxed as ever. "He'll be fine."
She looked at Yoh blankly, sheer desperation shining in her tearful blue eyes. Glancing around at the others, beginning to sob, she silently willed them all to tell Yoh to stop being so calm about things.
When no one spoke, she spluttered. "But… but… it's so late!"
Tamao had a caring arm around Pirika's shoulder; she too beside herself with worry.
"I can understand why she'd be worried," Ryu said, knowingly. "After all, it's close to 3a.m., and this brother of hers was also the very same person who tried to kill himself not too long ago. He's not been himself recently."
Anna shot the pompadoured Shaman a stare that could freeze water solid. Ryu always had a knack for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.
Pirika's tears came faster now. She didn't need to be reminded of her brother's unpredictable behaviour as of late.
"Listen Pirika – Horo's been through a lot. He's probably just out for a late-night walk to clear his head. I wouldn't be surprised." Anna said, matter-of-factly.
"But what if something has happened to him?"
"He's a Shaman… and he can fend for himself. I'm sure he'll be fine." Anna stated nonchalantly.
It was just at that moment that the front door to the Onsen opened. A second later, it banged shut.
By the time the others had registered the sound, Pirika was already on her feet.
"Onii-chan!"
Pirika took a run towards her brother, arms catching him tightly and causing him to stumble.
When the others approached the door, they saw Pirika crying into her brother's chest.
Horo did not react to his sister's sudden greeting. He stood there, just inside the doorway, staring off into space as Pirika sobbed.
"Where have you been?" she continued to cry.
Anna narrowed her eyes, suddenly taking the role of a mother scolding a child. "Do you have any idea what time it is? Your sister's been worried sick."
Horo did not answer.
The silence in the hallway was tense – obviously there was something that Horo was not telling. Pirika's sobs were muffled by her brother's coat, barely audible now.
Looking over the others glassily, he paused.
"I'm going to bed," was his eventual reply.
"Onii-chan!" Pirika whimpered after him as he sharply pulled himself from her grasp and started up the stairs.
The others stared after him as he ascended – some with annoyance, some with disbelief.
"Well, then," said Anna, after a moment. "Now that that's all over and done with, we can finally get some rest. You guys are gonna need all the sleep you can get – double chores tomorrow."
None of them protested. Most of them were still bewildered from having been awoken so suddenly in the middle of the night by Pirika's wailing, and all further confused by Horo's strange behaviour, it was clear that all they needed was rest. And so, without a word, all of them filed up the stairs. Anna walked behind them, ushering them on. She only glanced back to look at Pirika, who has been left standing in the doorway, tears welling and a look of utter despair on her face. Anna did nothing to comfort her.
It was only once Pirika had heard everyone's doors close shut did she even think about moving from the hallway. Lips quivering, she took an uneasy step forward on the wooden floor. The sound of her bare foot tapping the floor seemed to scare her, and she recoiled a little.
Taking a few heavy breaths, she continued. She crept up the stairs, jumping at every creak on the floorboards, flinching at the sight of her own shadow cast on the walls by the moonlight.
Without a second thought, she crept past the door to her own room entirely. And it was only a few more tiptoed steps until she reached the room in which her brother slept.
She paused at the door. It was slightly open – just enough for her to peer inside. Putting an azure eye to the door, she saw nothing but darkness within. Horo had obviously already shut out the lights.
Hoping that this meant he was asleep, she took a deep breath. With a gentle push, the door swung back silently on its hinges. Her gaze automatically fell to Horo's bed. Much to her relief, she saw a mound beneath the bed sheets, indicating that Horo was there.
Just as noiselessly, she took a few more steps into the room.
She knew what she was looking for – and it didn't seem willing to evade her. The smell she has picked up hit her within a few seconds; that was what she wanted.
It was an overpowering smell – and not to mention sickening. Pirika felt her stomach churn as it washed over her. It was a putrid smell; alcohol and stale smoke, she thought inwardly.
As soon as her brother had walked through the door, she had smelt it. At first, she had disregarded it, forgotten in the haste to reach her brother. It was only when she hugged him had it truly hit her. Expecting to take comfort in her brother's calming scent – fresh and warm, like pines stood out on a snowy night – she was met instead with that smell.
It wasn't right. Where on earth had her brother been to end up smelling like that?
Taking another step, she found her foot on the thing she had been looking for. Horo's coat, discarded on the floor as though it were simply litter. She seized it with an unwilling hand, casting a nervous glance to her brother's bed.
Confident that he was still, she slowly straightened, pulling the coat up with her.
But before she had lifted it from the floor, something dropped from the pocket. It was small, and it hardly made a sound as it bounced off the wood of the floor. She froze, glancing at Horo.
No reaction.
Waiting a few seconds, holding her breath, she watched him warily.
Still no signs of waking. She turned her attention to the object that now lay on the floor. She dropped to her knees, letting the coat slide back to the ground.
Her eyebrows furrowed, confused at first. It was made of plastic, thin and rectangular in shape. She would have guessed it was black in colour, but the night drained it of any hue.
Reaching out careful fingers, she picked it up tentatively. Turning it over, she saw large white letters staring back at her. She returned the stare with wide, shocked eyes.
The letters read:
Club Patch.
Author's Note: The last few chapters of Shattered are currently under-going some rewriting at the moment, but hopefully, the next update should make an appearance within the next 2-3 weeks (fingers crossed!), as I'm just finishing up school :)
For now though, please let me know what you think!
